“Playing under Carlo Ancelotti gives me the biggest peace of mind,” Vinícius Júnior enthused on the eve of the 2026 World Cup. “He gives me a lot of freedom and confidence.”
Luckily for the Real Madrid winger after an underwhelming start to the campaign, he will spend the next few weeks working with his favorite coach as Brazil tours the Western Hemisphere for three friendlies against Australia and India.
The first of those outings came on Friday as the Seleção took on Australia in Queensland, with Vinícius Jr. named in a formidable starting lineup which also contained Estêvão, Endrick and Raphinha in its forward line.
However, it proved a frustrating affair for Vinícius Jr. and his teammates, who slumped to a disappointing 1–1 draw and were only spared by Rayan’s 95th-minute equalizer with the final kick of the match.
Vinícius Jr. Falls Short on Brazil Return
This was not a vintage performance from any of Brazil’s superstars, but it’s understandable that a particularly harsh spotlight was shone on Vinícius Jr. following his subpar performances for Real Madrid so far this season.
While Jude Bellingham and Kylian Mbappé have been dazzling in José Mourinho’s offense, Vinícius Jr. has produced just one goal in his opening eight matches across La Liga and the Champions League.
His involvement was again limited against Australia, to say the least, and Ancelotti gave him just 65 minutes before turning to Flamengo’s Samuel Lino as his replacement.
Vinícius Jr. managed just 35 touches—only two more than his goalkeeper Hugo Souza—of which only four were in the Australian penalty area. Neither of his two shots on target seriously troubled the opposition goalkeeper and he failed to attempt a single dribble during his time on the field.
Out of possession, it was a familiar tale for the winger, who made no defensive contributions. By contrast, his fellow forwards Estêvão and Raphinha made three and two respectively.
Brazilian outlet ge were also unimpressed by Vinícius Jr.’s showing, giving him a final match rating of just 5/10. “He made relatively simple mistakes and produced little,” was their succinct summation of an anonymous showing.
Yan Diomande Outshines Vinícius Jr. With Electric Performance
There was no such frustration for Real Madrid’s other speedy winger on Thursday as Yan Diomande sparkled in Côte d’Ivoire’s 2–0 victory over Ghana in qualification for the Africa Cup of Nations.
While he’s been used on the right wing since signing for Madrid in the summer, the 19-year-old was deployed on the left-hand side for the Ghana game—a decision which paid dividends for Les Éléphants.
Diomande created the joint-most chances (three), enjoyed the joint-most touches in the opposition box (eight) and led the match for dribbles completed (seven) despite not being directly involved in either of his side’s goals.
The teenager’s electric performance comes as a silver lining for Madridistas after yet more misery for Vinícius Jr.
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