Vinícius equals a record held by Cristiano, Benzema, and Puskas at Real Madrid

Vinicius Jr. Reaches Real Madrid’s Olympus: Equals Cristiano, Benzema, and Puskas in Finals Records

Vinicius Junior’s moment of magic for Real Madrid in the Super Cup clash against their eternal rival, Barcelona, counted little in the overall outcome after the 3-2 defeat, but it allowed him to reach a remarkable record. The Brazilian forward now stands on the same level as Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema, and Ferenc Puskas in terms of goal contributions in major finals.

A Solo Goal in a Bitter Night

Real Madrid looked to Vinicius for the inspiration they needed in the latest Clásico. Although French forward Kylian Mbappé was back in Xabi Alonso’s squad after his injury, he was only deemed fit to start from the bench.

Someone else wearing the iconic white jersey had to step up and deliver moments of brilliance, and Vinicius more than delivered by scoring an impressive solo goal in first-half stoppage time

After receiving the ball near the left wing, Vinicius nutmegged Barcelona fullback Jules Koundé and outpaced Pau Cubarsí. Opening up a shooting angle, he unleashed an unstoppable strike into the back of the net, beating Joan García.

The effort brought the score level temporarily. After the break, Gonzalo García equalized again following a Barcelona goal from Robert Lewandowski, but ultimately Raphinha scored the winning goal (3-2) with 17 minutes remaining.

“On the Level of Ronaldo and Benzema”

Despite having to settle for the runner-up medal, Vinicius once again proved that he is a player for the big occasions. He has matched Ronaldo, Benzema, and Puskas by recording 16 goal contributions in finals with Real Madrid.

Since scoring the winning goal in the 2021-22 Champions League final against Liverpool—the season that marked his definitive breakthrough—the Brazilian has continued to grow. At 25 years old, Vinicius has played in 15 finals with Los Blancos, matching the achievements of legends like CR7. His trophy cabinet already includes two Champions League titles, a Copa del Rey, three Spanish Super Cups, a UEFA Super Cup, two Club World Cups, and an Intercontinental Cup.