Vinicius Jr., the immensely talented forward from Real Madrid, is on the verge of renewing his long-standing association with sportswear giant Nike. Having been sponsored by Nike since the age of 13, Vinicius Jr. initially signed a 10-year contract with the brand in 2013 and extended it for an additional ten years in 2018. However, as his fame skyrocketed following his arrival at Real Madrid in 2018, he felt that his contract no longer reflected his newfound success, leading to a dissolution of his relationship with Nike.

Citing a disconnect between the terms of his contract and his rising stardom, the Brazilian footballer terminated his contract with Nike in February. Vinicius Jr.’s legal team believed the contract to be dissolved, but Nike filed a lawsuit and emerged victorious, as reported by The Athletic. With no social media posts or appearances at Nike events, the relationship was reduced to the 22-year-old solely wearing Nike shoes.

However, with Vinicius Jr. recently uploading a photo of himself surrounded by at least 14 Nike paper bags filled with Nike apparel, it appears that all issues have been resolved. The Athletic published a story in late May 2023, stating that Vinicius Jr. is expected to take a personal interest in the negotiations, which are likely to resume after the 2022-2023 season. These discussions seem to have been fruitful, signaling a potential reunion between the prodigious talent and the renowned brand.

With Vinicius Jr. now regarded as one of the world’s top players, numerous major companies, including Adidas and Puma, have been closely monitoring the situation, eager to secure his endorsement.

The fact that Vinicius Jr. continued to play in Nike’s Mercurial Vapor 14 soccer cleats from the previous generation suggests that he is likely to switch back to the brand’s latest boots for the 2023-2024 season. The prospect of him receiving his first pair of Nike trademark cleats is eagerly anticipated. Are you excited about Vinicius Jr.’s return to Nike? Do you expect to see him donning Nike cleats soon? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.