Vinícius Júnior

At Real Madrid, Vinicius scored the winning goal in the 2022 Champions League final against Liverpool and scored again in the 2024 final win over Borussia Dortmund, helping the club win Europe's top competition twice. By 2026 he had 89 goals and 67 assists in 259 appearances for the club.

His Brazil record told a different story for years: across Copa America 2021, the 2022 World Cup and Copa America 2024 combined, he managed just three goals and two assists in only 617 minutes, prompting sustained criticism that he could not replicate his club form for the national team.

A left-footed winger who plays predominantly off the right flank to cut inside onto his stronger foot, his game is built on repeated one-on-one dribbling at pace and a willingness to keep attacking the same defender even after being fouled.

At the 2026 World Cup that directness showed up statistically: he was tied for the most carries ending in a shot (9) and led the tournament in carries into the opposition penalty area (18) through the group stage.

Vinicius scored in all three of Brazil's group games at the 2026 World Cup and added four goals and an assist through the first four matches, putting him in genuine contention for the Golden Boot and leading Brazil's attack into the knockout rounds.

The turnaround silenced years of doubt about whether he could carry Brazil the way he carries Real Madrid — former international Fabio Luciano had said before the tournament that Vinicius seemed to feel he had to 'be Neymar' in Neymar's absence, more pressure than his game could bear.