If Selecao wants to win the 2022 World Cup, they cannot rely solely on Neymar’s brilliance.The Brazilian national team arrives in Qatar as one of the top contenders for the world championship. They have an interesting squad composed of rising young talents combined with established stars. Neymar, of course, remains the biggest hope for Brazilian football. However, fans of the samba nation have been longing for the PSG forward to help them end their World Cup drought that has lasted for 8 years.

Neymar has yet to guide Brazil to their sixth world title, and perhaps he needs assistance. The new generation of Brazilian football talents brings a lot of promise. Vinicius Jr, Rodrygo, Raphinha, Bruno Guimaraes, Gabriel Jesus, and Gabriel Martinelli have already showcased their abilities on the biggest stages of world football.

Among them, Vinicius is the most highly anticipated name.

Vinicius concluded the 2021/22 season in a truly remarkable fashion. He scored in the Champions League final against Liverpool, helping his team clinch the title, and subsequently received praise from his childhood idol, Neymar, who regarded him as the best player in the world. He is also the only Brazilian player to feature in this year’s top 10 Ballon d’Or rankings. Vinicius has shown tremendous progress and development in his career.

For Vinicius, innate talent, luck, and diligent effort have combined to bring him to his current success. Many people have recognized Vinicius’ talent since he was quite young. At the age of 17, Real Madrid signed him for a record fee of 46 million euros, the highest ever for a teenage player in world football. This transfer fee could have overwhelmed any young player, both in terms of pressure and complacency.

However, Vinicius had a strong foundation from his family, always keeping his feet on the ground and receiving the necessary support. During Real Madrid’s transition in the summer of 2018, following the departures of manager Zinedine Zidane and Cristiano Ronaldo, Vinicius arrived at the Bernabeu with high expectations and pressure.

In the 2018/19 season, the Brazilian player made 31 appearances, scoring only 4 goals and providing 8 assists. Real Madrid watched as Barcelona claimed the La Liga title that season. Vinicius’ initial period at Madrid was not smooth sailing.

In October 2020, during a Champions League group stage match against Borussia Monchengladbach, in the first half when Real Madrid was trailing, striker Karim Benzema was caught on camera telling his teammate Ferland Mendy not to pass the ball to Vinicius. “Don’t pass to him. He’s playing against us,” the French forward said.

But the incident mentioned above did not deter Vinicius. Under the management of Carlo Ancelotti, the 2000-born winger became one of the key factors for “Los Blancos.” He left his mark in the previous La Liga triumph and the incredible journey in the Champions League.

After 52 appearances for Real Madrid in the 2021/22 season, Vinicius scored 22 goals and provided 16 assists. At the age of 22, Vinicius has won the Champions League, secured two La Liga titles, and made it to the top 10 of the Ballon d’Or voting. Everything is heading in the right direction, and at this rate, Vinicius will continue to progress even further.

According to the analysis by CIES (International Centre for Sports Studies), Vinicius is the second most valuable player at the World Cup 2022, with a value of 201 million euros. The Brazilian national team star is only behind Jude Bellingham, who is valued at 202 million euros. The future of world football belongs to players like Vinicius and Bellingham.

At the start of this season, alongside his impressive form on the pitch, Vinicius has also faced some off-field troubles. “The happiness of a black Brazilian person winning in Europe makes them even more uncomfortable,” Vinicius declared before the match against their city rivals Atletico Madrid.

In response to being criticized by Pedro Bravo, a player representative, Vinicius fired back. Bravo had stated that Vinicius “behaved like a monkey” after his celebratory dances. Vinicius also became a target of harassment from Atletico fans to the extent that the Prime Minister of Spain had to speak out. La Liga had to intervene and take measures to protect the player.

Despite facing racial discrimination and criticism off the field, Vinicius continues to perform well. Coach Ancelotti stated that this season has witnessed Vinicius maturing both on and off the pitch. The talent of a football player is not solely measured by their skills on the field, goals, or assists. How stars overcome psychological pressures is also an important part of achieving success.

As a member of Generation Z (born in 2000), Vinicius has founded and runs a football academy in Rio de Janeiro bearing his name, aiming to provide education and sports opportunities for Brazilian children. “Not many Brazilian players have shown such maturity from an early age like Vinicius,” commented coach Tite last year. “I feel that the presence of young players like Vinicius will be beneficial for Neymar both on and off the field.”

That is a worthy comment for Vinicius. The Real Madrid star may not be as highly expected as Neymar, but he has the potential to make a difference in his first World Cup appearance.