After winning The Best award and the Intercontinental Cup with Real Madrid, Vinícius Jr was the target of criticism from Lothar Matthäus, who compared him unflatteringly to Neymar. The Brazilian responded calmly and maturely.
Vinícius Jr is living through a pivotal moment in his career. In Doha, he not only helped Real Madrid to a 3-0 victory over Pachuca in the Intercontinental Cup final, but was also awarded the prestigious The Best prize. An award that, according to the player himself, symbolises years of hard work and sacrifice.
‘They’ve tried to diminish me, but I’m here. Nobody’s going to tell me who I should be or how I should behave,’ the Brazilian striker told the press, visibly moved by this individual and collective accolade.
Lothar Matthaus’s scathing remarks about Vinicius Jr.
This triumph did not prevent some critics from voicing their opinions. German football legend Lothar Matthäus took a scathing line in an interview with Sport BILD. The legend took aim at Brazil’s No7, whom he even compared to Neymar. Even though he recognises his immense talent, Lothar Matthäus has a problem with his behaviour and, above all, his constant provocations at Real Madrid and Seleção matches.
‘For me, Vinícius is the second Neymar. He has immense talent, but he gets in his own way with pointless provocations. Neymar is the wrong role model. Vini Jr. has to mature to become a real world footballer,’ said Matthaus, who also expressed his preference for Rodri as the winner of the Ballon d’Or.
Vinicius Jr’s dignified response
Asked about these criticisms in a press conference, Vinícius Jr adopted a composed stance and reaffirmed his commitment to Real Madrid and his personal vision of success. ‘I arrived at Real Madrid, the best club in the world, and I never lowered my head despite the criticism. I’m here for my team-mates and to honour this shirt. Outside opinions don’t affect me,’ said the Merengues No7.
In a more private sphere, Vinícius replied to Matthaus: ‘Neymar is a great player and a friend. It doesn’t matter what people say on the outside.’ The comparison with Neymar, although intended as a criticism by Matthaus, found a different echo in Vinícius. The Real Madrid striker sees his compatriot as a source of inspiration and sees no incompatibility between talent and personality.
In any case, despite the controversy surrounding his career, Neymar remains an emblematic figure in Brazilian football, having left his mark on history with spectacular technical moves and decisive performances. For Vinícius, following in his footsteps is an honour, but he also intends to blaze his own trail.
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