Vinicius Jr reveals how he helped sign two galacticos for Real Madrid.

Vinicius Junior, the young prodigy of Real Madrid, recently revealed that he played a crucial role in the signing of two galactic stars for the club. The Brazilian forward emphasized that, before the arrivals of Kylian Mbappé and Jude Bellingham, he did not hesitate to act as an intermediary, making sure to contact them directly. What follows is a story that not only sheds light on the player’s character but also raises questions about the dynamics of modern football and the implications of such friendships.

Bellingham, who arrived at the Santiago Bernabéu in 2023 for an impressive sum of 103 million euros, was on the radar of several clubs, including Liverpool, before deciding to move to Madrid. A year later, Mbappé finally joined the club after prolonged seasons of speculation and rumors that culminated once his contract with Paris Saint-Germain ended. Vinicius Jr, always ahead of the game, revealed that he had been in constant contact with Mbappé during those summers. “Every summer I would write to him: ‘When are you coming?’ I acted as his agent,” said the Brazilian in an interview with Ibai Llanos. “I did the same with Bellingham.” The motivation behind such efforts is clear: “I want to play with the best to have a better chance of winning.”

However, Vinicius’s view on the need to accumulate individual talents to strengthen the team is a mindset that has faced criticism. This approach, which dates back to Florentino Pérez’s era as president of the club, has led to a series of decisions that, on several occasions, compromised the structure and effectiveness of the team. Since the era of Luís Figo to the arrival of stars like Zidane and Ronaldo, Pérez has strived to add one elite player per season. However, the consequences of these choices have often resulted in imbalances within the team.

The sale of Claude Makélélé, a defensive pillar, to accommodate the arrival of David Beckham in 2003 exemplifies the failures of this strategy. Zidane, with a memorable phrase, questioned: “Why add another layer of gold paint to the Bentley if you are losing the entire engine?” This flawed logic led to a trophy drought that culminated in Pérez’s departure in 2006. After his return in 2009, he attempted once again to form a group of Galácticos, but history seemed to repeat itself, with the sale of Ángel Di María in 2014 to make way for James Rodríguez, resulting in further failures.

Now, the arrival of Mbappé represents yet another potential strategic error in Pérez’s relentless pursuit of stars. Following a successful 2024 season, where Real Madrid won the league and the Champions League with a more traditional forward, Joselu, the addition of Mbappé seems to be a shift that, rather than consolidating the team’s success, may generate more uncertainties.

The relationship between Vinicius and Mbappé, although personally close, has not translated into success on the field. Vinicius’ performance, following the arrival of the Frenchman, has dropped drastically, with a decrease in his goal-scoring rate. The irony is that while their friendship off the field flourishes, both seem to struggle to find effective chemistry during matches. “We spend more time together than with our families,” Vinicius shared, acknowledging the need for a good relationship. “We need to have a good relationship.” But whether this connection translates into performance within the four lines remains an open question.

Now, the pressing question is: who will be the next player that Vinicius Jr will try to bring to Real Madrid? If he continues to play the role of agent, the need for a defensive midfielder who can control the pace of the game seems to be a priority, especially as a replacement for veteran Toni Kroos. With a list of intriguing candidates emerging from across Europe, including promising talents, the future promises to be exciting for Real Madrid and for Vinicius’ ambitions.