Former Real Madrid striker Iván Zamorano is confident Los Blancos will return stronger next season after a disappointing campaign, expressing optimism about the club’s transfer business while also highlighting Vinicius Jr’s outstanding performances for Brazil at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Speaking in an interview with Marca, Zamorano said he expects Real Madrid to continue strengthening the squad before the transfer window closes and believes the club will once again compete for both La Liga and the UEFA
Champions League.
“I see Real Madrid with optimism next season. We’ve had two bad seasons, but I think the reinforcements that have been mentioned this year seem interesting. I’m sure someone else will arrive after this World Cup. Real Madrid has to try to build a competitive team, a team that fights not only for the Spanish league title but also for the Champions League because we’re used to that. It’s hard to imagine Real Madrid not winning anything for two years. I see it with a lot of optimism and with the possibility that next season will be very different from what we’ve experienced this year.”
Zamorano also reserved special praise for Vinicius Jr, who he believes has been Brazil’s standout player during the tournament. The Chilean said the Real Madrid winger best represents the traditional identity of Brazilian football and has carried the national team throughout the competition.
“I’m enjoying Vinicius Jr’s World Cup so far. If there’s one standout player Brazil has, it’s Vinicius. If we’re talking purely about Brazilian football identity, there’s no player who embodies it more than Vinicius. I could also mention Neymar, but he hasn’t played. I think Vinicius has been carrying the team’s weight completely, so it’s been a very positive World Cup.”
Looking ahead to Real Madrid’s future, Zamorano believes the club’s project should revolve around Vinicius and Kylian Mbappé, while also emphasizing the importance of restoring balance throughout the squad after what he viewed as an uneven campaign.
“We have two world-class strikers in Vinicius and Mbappe, and there’s no doubt the team must be built around that. Last year there was an imbalance between the attackers, the midfield, and the defense. While that’s true, we have to take advantage of having two world-class strikers and the possibility of adding another. We also need to find a balance by bringing in central defenders, all-around midfielders, and not relying so heavily on two monsters like Vinicius and Mbappé. We also need to try to create a very compact team from the forwards back.”
The former forward also revealed two players he would target in the transfer market if he were building Real Madrid’s squad, naming Bayern Munich winger Michael Olise and Chelsea midfielder Enzo Fernández as ideal additions.
“I’d buy Olise tomorrow! And I’d play with Olise, Mbappé, Vinicius, and I’d bring in Enzo Fernández and put him in midfield. We already have a right-back, a center-back… so with that we’d have a great team.”
