Real Madrid forward Vinicius Jr has expressed his admiration for Cristiano Ronaldo after helping his team defeat Manchester City 3-2 in the first leg of the UEFA Champions League Round of 16.
Speaking after the match, the Brazilian star said Ronaldo is his idol and that he hopes to achieve as much success as the Portuguese legend did at Real Madrid.
Vinicius Jr played a key role in Madrid’s victory on Tuesday night. He was involved in Brahim Diaz’s goal in the 86th minute and assisted Jude Bellingham’s winning goal in stoppage time. His impressive performance earned him the UEFA Player of the Match award.
The 24-year-old forward revealed that he was motivated by a banner displayed by Manchester City fans mocking him over the 2024 Ballon d’Or controversy.
After the game, Vinicius Jr spoke about his relationship with Ronaldo, describing him as a legend of both Real Madrid and the Champions League. He also shared his desire to win as many trophies as Ronaldo did for Los Blancos.
“Cristiano Ronaldo is my idol. I talk to him a lot. Hopefully, I can win as many titles as he did at Real Madrid,” Vinicius Jr said.
Ronaldo, who now plays for Al Nassr in Saudi Arabia, remains Real Madrid’s all-time top scorer with 450 goals and 131 assists in 438 matches. During his nine years at the club, he won 16 trophies, including four Champions League titles.
Meanwhile, Vinicius Jr has already won 14 trophies since joining Real Madrid in 2018. He has scored 101 goals and provided 84 assists in 295 appearances for the club.
With his strong performances and ambition, Vinicius Jr is on his way to becoming one of Real Madrid’s greats, following in the footsteps of his idol, Cristiano Ronaldo.
