Neymar has slipped into “big brother mode” — and his message for Vinicius Jr. is crystal clear: Don’t make my mistake. Stay at Real Madrid.
According to a report from OKDiario, the Brazilian star, who has
openly regretted ditching Barcelona for PSG, has advised one of his closest friends to sign the extension at the Bernabéu, even if it means living in Kylian Mbappe’s economic and sporting shadow.
Neymar reportedly stated that if Vini wants to win a Ballon d’Or, then Madrid is the place to be.
If the report is to be trusted, then it would be safe to say that Neymar speaks from experience. He won it all at Barcelona, including their last Champions League title in 2015, but got tired of orbiting around Messi.
PSG showed up with €222 million, Neymar jumped, and despite the goals and the glamour, he never stopped regretting leaving Catalonia.
But Vini? He isn’t convinced.
His contract runs until 2027, but negotiations are frozen solid. He wants the renewal bonus he believes he deserves. Real Madrid says absolutely not — especially after already paying over €45 million for him as a teenager. Vini insists Mbappe got a bonus; Madrid insists it was a totally different context.
And the financial tension isn’t even the biggest problem.
The Vini–Xabi Alonso dynamic is ice cold. Nothing like the affectionate father-son bond he had with Carlo Ancelotti.
Sparks started flying at the Club World Cup and turned into flames this season. Vini’s reaction to being subbed in El Clasico — and his apology that carefully avoided mentioning Xabi — hasn’t helped.
Now, both the coach’s future and Vinicius’s renewal are tied to what happens between them between now and June. Someone may have to bend. Or someone may have to walk.
Neymar, regardless of whether the report is true or not, hopes it’s neither.
