Vinícius Júnior

Vinícius Júnior is one of the main strikers in world football in the 2020s. Born in São Gonçalo, in Rio de Janeiro, he was discovered by Flamengo and sold to Real Madrid at just 16 years old, in a deal worth 45 million euros, then the largest ever for a Brazilian under-18 player. At Real Madrid, he evolved from promising dribbler to protagonist: he scored the championship-winning goal in the 2022 Champions League final against Liverpool and was also decisive in the 2024 European title campaign. For the Spanish club, he accumulated titles in LaLiga, Copa del Rey, FIFA Club World Cup and Intercontinental Cup. In 2024, he was elected the best player in the world at FIFA's The Best award. Off the pitch, he became a global symbol in the fight against racism in football after denouncing repeated incidents of racial abuse in Spanish stadiums, which earned him the 2024 Socrates Prize. For the Brazilian National Team, he competed in the World Cups of 2022 and 2026 and two editions of the Copa América.