News Focus
- Carlo Ancelotti admits Brazil currently lacks a superstar like Pele or Ronaldo
- Vinicius Junior faces heavy criticism despite his excellent form for Real Madrid
- The winger has scored only seven goals in 28 matches for Brazil
- Fans still prefer Neymar, with 53% backing him for the World Cup squad
- The 25-year-old hopes to prove his critics wrong at the World Cup
Carlo Ancelotti tackled the difficult subject with care. At the end of a press conference before the Panama friendly in late May, the Brazil boss admitted the national side currently lacks a true icon.
He accepted that nobody in the present squad matches the legendary status of Pele, Romario or Ronaldo. However, he suggested that shared responsibility among players could prove equally valuable.
Most observers expected Vinicius Junior to become that central figure by now. Four years after Brazil lost to Croatia on penalties in the 2022 World Cup quarter-finals, questions still surround the 25-year-old attacker.
Following a 2-1 defeat to France in March, television pundits in Brazil openly asked whether Vinicius deserved his place in the starting line-up. Even with Ancelotti – who coached him to success at Real Madrid now leading the national team – the old problem persists. Supporters wonder why he cannot replicate his club performances in the famous yellow shirt.
The numbers tell a mixed story. Vinicius has contributed to more goals than any other Brazilian player during this World Cup qualifying period. Yet his record remains modest: seven goals and six assists from 28 appearances.
Cleber Xavier, who assisted the national team at the 2018 and 2022 World Cups, explains the difficulty. “Playing at club level is different,” he told BBC Sport. “Training routines, team-mates and daily habits all change when you join the national squad.”
Xavier compared the situation to Lionel Messi’s struggles with Argentina before their 2022 triumph. He noted that Argentina built a solid team structure around Messi, much like a club side. Brazil has not yet done this for Vinicius.
The player himself understands the pressure. “At Real Madrid, we play every three days,” he told Caze TV. “If I perform poorly in two matches out of ten, people quickly forget. With Brazil, months pass between games. The pressure stays constant.”
Vinicius believes one successful tournament will change everything. “If I score four or five goals at the World Cup and we win the trophy, the story changes immediately,” he said.
Off the pitch, Vinicius stands as Brazil’s most marketable player. He holds fourteen commercial contracts, surpassing all his team-mates. However, he lacks the emotional bond that Neymar enjoys with the public.
A recent Datafolha poll showed 53% of fans still want Neymar in the World Cup squad, despite his age and fitness concerns. Marketing expert Eduardo Musa, who previously worked with Neymar, believes this stems from the former Barcelona star’s longer history with Brazilian clubs and his charismatic personality.
“Neymar stayed at Santos until 2013,” Musa explained. “Fans watched him develop weekly. Vinicius left Flamengo earlier before establishing himself as a guaranteed starter.”
The Brazilian Football Confederation attempted to elevate Vinicius’s status in March. After Rodrygo suffered an injury, officials gave Vinicius the number ten shirt and selected him for a major press conference for the first time in two years. The plan aimed to make him the team’s new face.
However, Neymar’s surprise return saw him reclaim the iconic shirt number. Now 34, the Santos forward faces serious fitness doubts, lowering expectations of his impact.
This leaves Vinicius as the likely focal point when Brazil chase a sixth world title. Ancelotti’s assistant Xavier believes the structure now exists for him to succeed. “He improved greatly through individual work on his finishing and teamwork,” Xavier said. “Now he has the collective support he needs.”
Vinicius welcomes the challenge. “I am the talking point now because I have performed at the highest level for five or six seasons with Real Madrid,” he stated. “I want this responsibility. I know I can improve further and achieve great things.”