A picture is worth a thousand words

Real Madrid experienced one of its darkest nights in the Club World Cup. In the semifinals, Xabi Alonso’s team was crushed 4-0 by a far superior Paris Saint-Germain, and amid the collective disaster, Vinicius Junior stole the spotlight… but for all the wrong reasons.

What happened?

It was the 64th minute when Vinicius was subbed off for Brahim Díaz after a lackluster—if not outright poor—performance. He failed to make an impact, looked disconnected, and showed more frustration than determination.

But the real drama came minutes later. Cameras caught the Brazilian laughing carefreely on the bench, as if he were hanging out with friends on a sunny afternoon. Whether taken out of context or not, the image detonated across Madridista social media.

Madridistas outraged

Social media exploded. Dozens of messages and harsh criticism targeted the Brazilian, questioning his commitment and respect for the badge. “He doesn’t care,” “He should be sold,” “No passion for the club,” were just a few of the repeated comments.

At Real Madrid, where expectations are sky-high, attitude matters as much as talent. And in that equation, Vini is falling short.

A season to forget

The most worrying part? This isn’t an isolated incident—it reflects a season well below expectations. In 43 official matches, Vinicius has only managed 14 goals and 11 assists across all competitions.

Those are poor numbers for a player once tipped to lead the team after Karim Benzema’s departure. His attitude, much like his performance, leaves plenty to be desired. Madrid needs his best version—not a smiling figure on the bench while the team falls apart.