After Luka Modric and Cristiano Ronaldo, Real Madrid star Vinicius Junior became the third player in the team’s history to win the FIFA Best Award on Tuesday night. He stated that he had no intention of remaining in Doha, Qatar, when he picked up the prize.
After talks between his agents and Saudi intermediaries, Vinicius was repeatedly mentioned in the Madrid-based media as being interested in moving to Saudi Arabia next summer for a number of months. With Kylian Mbappe expected to take center stage at the Santiago Bernabeu, there were rumors of a €1 billion deal for Vinicius and a €300–400 million transfer price.
He has, however, reiterated to the Real Madrid leadership that he has no intention of leaving. Vinicius has stated publicly on multiple occasions that he intends to stay in the Spanish capital for a long time, and he restated that statement when performing in Doha.
“When I was younger, reaching this place seemed unattainable. Being able to reach this position is really important to me because I was a boy who played barefoot in the streets of Sao Goncalo between poverty and crime as a child. For the award, I would want to thank everyone. In addition to thanking Flamengo, where I began, I hope to play for Real Madrid for a very long time,” Marca said.
“I thank Juni Calafat for believing in me when I was just 16 years old, Jose Angel Sanchez and the President for bringing me to Real Madrid, and my boss, Carlo Ancelotti, for always believing in me.”
Although Real Madrid has made it clear in the local press that they have no plans to sell the 24-year-old, the reports’ tenacity has made many wonder if a transfer would occur. The scenario will become more evident when Vinicius is scheduled to negotiate a contract in 2025.
