Vinicius Junior has expressed his desire to remain at Real Madrid forever despite rumours linking him to a potential move to the Saudi Pro League.
The Brazilian forward, who is expected to win the Ballon d’Or on October 28, has garnered attention from Saudi clubs as they continue to build an empire.
However, after his stunning second-half hat trick during Real Madrid’s 5-2 Champions League comeback win over Borussia Dortmund on Tuesday, Vinicius was clear about his commitment to the club.
He said: “I’m still only 24. I want to stay here forever and contribute as much as possible to this team, which has given me everything since I arrived here.
“[Carlo] Ancelotti told me to keep it up, that I can always do more.
“But we have to improve and play like this from the off, otherwise the coach won’t be able to take it.
Most goals and assists in the Champions League since the start of the 2022/23 season:
◉ 25 – Vinícius Júnior
◎ 21 – Erling Haaland
◎ 20 – Kylian Mbappé
◎ 19 – Harry Kane
◎ 15 – Rodrygo
◎ 15 – Jude BellinghamVini’s hat-trick takes him four clear at the top. 😮💨#UCL pic.twitter.com/9DvbOlmBBM
— WhoScored.com (@WhoScored) October 23, 2024
“This is our competition and we want to win it again.”
Last season, Vinicius was pivotal for Madrid, scoring 24 goals and delivering 11 assists across all competitions.
His contributions helped Madrid claim the LaLiga title and included a critical goal in their Champions League final triumph over Dortmund in June.
Madrid director Emilio Butragueno heaped praise on Vinicius, drawing a comparison to the legendary Pele.
Speaking about Vinicius’ third goal against Dortmund, Butragueno said: “It reminded me of Pele. It is a magnificent goal.
“The way he ran, the way he faked to dribble past the defender.
“A magnificent goal. For those of us that love football, it justifies you coming here to the Bernabeu [Stadium] and that a player can offer that play that provokes a lot of emotion, including admiration.”
