Vinícius Júnior has expressed his desire to remain at Real Madrid “forever” amid speculation linking him to moves to the Saudi Pro League. The Brazilian forward, who is favored to win the Ballon d’Or award on October 28, has attracted interest from clubs in Saudi Arabia.
Reports in August indicated that Vinícius would wait until the conclusion of the current season before making any decisions regarding his future. However, after scoring a second-half hat trick that helped Real Madrid secure a 5-2 comeback victory over Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League, he reaffirmed his commitment to the club.
“I’m still only 24,” Vinícius stated. “I want to stay here forever and contribute as much as possible to this team, which has given me everything since I arrived here.”
This latest hat trick marked his first in the Champions League, although Vinícius modestly downplayed his performance. He mentioned that coach Carlo Ancelotti had encouraged him to keep pushing for more. “We have to improve and play like this from the start, otherwise the coach won’t be able to take it,” he said. “This is our competition, and we want to win it again.”
Last season, Vinícius scored 24 goals and registered 11 assists across all competitions for LaLiga champions Madrid, including one in the Champions League final against Dortmund in June.
Lucas Vázquez, who captained the team in the recent match, praised Vinícius’ outstanding second-half performance, describing it as a lesson in intensity and the pursuit of goals. “He’s shown yet again that he’s the most decisive player in the world,” Vázquez said.
Real Madrid director Emilio Butragueño also commended Vinícius, comparing his third goal against Dortmund to a play reminiscent of Brazilian legend Pelé. “It was a magnificent goal,” Butragueño remarked. “For those of us who love football, it justifies coming to the Bernabéu Stadium to witness such emotion and admiration.”
Looking ahead, Vinícius is eager for the upcoming LaLiga Clásico against Barcelona this Saturday, as Madrid currently sits three points behind the league leaders. “We’re going all out,” he said. “It’s on home turf with our fans. We’re going to fight for everything this season, as always.”