Brazilian footballer Vinicius Junior has become Real Madrid’s most offensively decisive player so far in 2024 with 12 goals in 15 games, six of them in the last four games, with a decisive impact in one of the crucial moments of the season and coinciding with a drop in the scoring performance of Englishman Jude Bellingham.
The ‘7’ was the ‘MVP’ of this Saturday’s Osasuna-Real Madrid, with Madrid winning 2-4, with a double from Rio de Janeiro. Those two goals confirmed that ‘Vini’ has exploded in the scoring aspect, at a time when the squad needs it.
And neither Bellingham, with sanctions and injuries – he has not scored since February 2 and has only three goals in 2024 -, nor Rodrygo Goes, with a goal and an assist in the last 13 games, are giving the impression. carves offensively.
Against Osasuna, Vinicius showed that he is going through a sweet moment in front of goal. With those two goals, there are already 12 in all competitions in 15 games. In the league championship, the Carioca has accumulated a dozen goals this season – eight have been scored in the ten games he has played this year, becoming the ‘top scorer’ of 2024 -, just five goals away from the 17 achieved in 21-22, their best domestic record so far. He culminated that season with 23 goals in all tournaments.
Six goals in the last four games – two doubles against Valencia and Osasuna and scorer against Leipzig and Celta – to catapult his performance and argue his improvement in effectiveness. The Brazilian is the author of more than half of his team’s goals (11) in those last four games.
The ‘7’, also the protagonist for his ‘b’ side due to his disproportionate protests to the referees and who will now not play again until April 9, has only needed 12 shots to convert those six goals, with a 50% success. Furthermore, he continues to be decisive in duels against rivals, as the fourth player who completes the most dribbles (53) in LaLiga, behind ‘Savinho’ (77), Nico Williams (61) and Rodrygo (54).
And he is experiencing this great moment in a new system with a new demarcation, occupying a more central position, alongside another forward. And Carlo Ancelotti has already announced that this new position, closer to the center forward, could benefit him. “‘Vini’ can play inside. Not as a center forward, but in a pair of forwards,” he said in February, something he already predicted in preseason, when he assured that although he is decisive as a winger, “from the inside he can score.” more goals.”
More focused, he continues to be the rival to stop for the opposing team, receiving 14 fouls in these last four games, which has not prevented him from generating 3.3 expected goals, giving four key passes – those that create a great chance – and 144 successful ball actions (36 per game), according to ‘Driblab’ data.
This great recent streak – 12 goals and 4 assists so far in the League – makes him the seventh player with the most participation in goals in the competition, almost one per game. In this section he is second in Real Madrid, behind Bellingham (19). In fact, he has a better goal average than in 21-22 – his best record -, with an average of 0.48 (17 in 35), compared to 0.6 this season (12 in 20 ).
Real Madrid can celebrate that, although they are very different on the field, both Vinicius and Bellingham share the determining factor that they provide to the team. As of today, it is the Brazilian who has put the Madrid team on his back, although he will not be in the next domestic match due to suspension, having completed the yellow card cycle. His loss coincides with the return of the also suspended English midfielder, now called to take over from Rio.
