Vinícius Ends 46-Day Goal Drought With Brazil Brace: What's Next for the Real Madrid Star?

The Real Madrid forward rediscovered his scoring touch this season with a brace against Japan for Brazil. Now, he looks to build on that performance against Singapore and carry his renewed form back to Real Madrid.

The Brazilian ended a 46-day goal drought with his national team and an 80-day scoring slump at Real Madrid. Now, he aims to keep finding the back of the net and prove himself once again

Vinícius Júnior rediscovered his scoring touch with Brazil, although his two goals were not enough to prevent a 3-2 defeat against Japan. The Real Madrid forward found his confidence during the November international break and will have another opportunity to add to his international tally when the Seleção face Singapore. His performance also provides a boost ahead of his return to Spanish football, where he still has unfinished business in front of goal. It was his first goal in 46 days this season, dating back to his strike against Australia in a friendly.

VINÍCIUS SCORES TWO STUNNERS TO BOOST BRAZIL AND HIMSELF

Japan took a 2-0 lead through goals from Takefusa Kubo (15') and Keito Nakamura (19'), but Vinícius sparked Brazil's comeback in the 33rd minute. Following a save by Zion Suzuki against Estêvão, the ball fell to the Real Madrid forward, who unleashed a powerful strike from outside the box to make it 2-1. Bruno Guimarães provided the assist.

His second goal came in the 75th minute, once again with the Newcastle midfielder involved. After receiving the ball from a short corner routine, Vinícius drove forward down the left, cut inside and fired a low shot across goal to make it 2-2. However, Tatsuhiro Sakamoto scored the decisive goal in stoppage time to seal a 3-2 victory for Japan.

VINÍCIUS ENDS HIS GOAL DROUGHT AND RECORDS ANOTHER BRACE

The two goals against Japan carried special significance for Vinícius Júnior, who ended his scoring drought with both Brazil and Real Madrid. His previous goal for the national team came on September 29, 2026, against Australia in a 4-2 friendly victory. He had gone 46 days without scoring for the Seleção.

With Real Madrid, his last goal had come on August 26, 2026, against Real Sociedad, meaning he had gone 80 days without finding the net. His brace against Japan also provided relief after a run of 12 consecutive official matches without scoring for the Spanish giants.

The wait to score twice in a single game had also been considerable. Vinícius had not recorded a brace for Real Madrid since May 3, 2026, when he scored twice against Espanyol in a 2-0 victory. For Brazil, his previous brace dated back to June 28, 2024, when he netted twice against Paraguay at the Copa América.

The Brazilian forward has now ended two different scoring droughts and regained confidence at a crucial point in the season. He will have another chance to add to his tally against Singapore before returning to Madrid with the aim of maintaining his scoring form.

VINÍCIUS STRENGTHENS HIS POSITION IN BRAZIL'S ATTACK

With his two goals against Japan, Vinícius Júnior reached 16 goals in 58 appearances for Brazil's senior national team. He also recorded his second brace for the Seleção, following his two-goal performance against Paraguay at the 2024 Copa América, when Brazil secured a 4-1 victory.

Although his international scoring record continues to grow, he has not set a new all-time goalscoring record for Brazil or surpassed any of the country's leading scorers. Nevertheless, his ability to make an impact in important moments continues to establish him as one of the national team's key attacking figures.

A BRACE THAT WASN'T ENOUGH, BUT BRAZIL LOOK TO BOUNCE BACK AGAINST SINGAPORE

Vinícius' brace could not prevent Brazil's defeat against Japan, who secured a historic comeback victory over the Seleção. Brazil showed attacking quality but also exposed defensive weaknesses and a lack of collective finishing.

However, the international break is not over for the Brazilian squad. They will face Singapore on November 17, once again at the National Stadium in Singapore, giving Vinícius another opportunity to score, increase his international tally and finish the tour on a positive note.

Following his individual performance, the forward could once again take center stage as he looks to bounce back from the setback against Japan. Carlo Ancelotti's team will also have an opportunity to regain momentum ahead of its upcoming fixtures.

WHEN WILL VINI RETURN TO REAL MADRID, AND WHAT DOES HE STILL NEED TO ACHIEVE?

Following his international commitments, Vinícius Júnior will return to Real Madrid to prepare for the LaLiga clash against Celta Vigo, scheduled for November 21 at the Santiago Bernabéu. The Brazilian will be eligible to return to Spanish league action after serving a four-match suspension following his dismissal against Villarreal for pulling Nathan Saliba's hair and his subsequent protests toward the referee.

His return represents an opportunity to improve his numbers with the Spanish giants. So far, he has recorded just one goal in 12 official matches, a figure that contrasts with his three goals in four friendly appearances for Brazil. Including his performances at the 2026 World Cup, where he registered four goals and one assist in five matches, the difference between his international production and his club output becomes even more noticeable.

The brace against Japan could provide the boost he needed, but he still has one more opportunity against Singapore to keep scoring. After that, the challenge will be to carry that finishing touch back to Real Madrid and rediscover the goalscoring influence expected from one of the club's biggest stars.

VINÍCIUS ENDS GOAL DROUGHT AND SEEKS REDEMPTION WITH BRAZIL AND REAL MADRID

BRACE AGAINST JAPAN: Scored two stunning goals, reached 16 goals in 58 appearances for Brazil and ended his 46-day scoring drought with the national team.

TWO GOAL DROUGHTS BROKEN: Found the net again after 80 days without scoring for Real Madrid and recorded his first brace for Brazil since June 2024.

TWO CHALLENGES AHEAD: He will look to add to his scoring tally against Singapore and carry his renewed confidence into Real Madrid, where he needs to regain his attacking influence.