MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — Brazil star Vinícius Júnior knew what his critics were saying coming into this World Cup, that he just can't score on soccer's biggest stage the way he can at Real Madrid.
He clearly didn't listen.
Vinicius has four goals now in this tournament — only Lionel Messi, with five, has more — and the flashy Brazilian got two on Wednesday night in his team's 3-0 win over Scotland.
“Faith that I was going to improve, for the talent
that I have … I was sure that at the right moment I would shine again with the Brazilian team shirt,” Vinícius said.
He wasn't wrong and is tied for second with France’s Kylian Mbappé and Norway’s Erling Haaland in the Golden Boot race, right behind Messi.
“Nothing is better than going back to the World Cup, to the place where I always dreamed of being,” Vinicius said. “To be able to represent my family, to be able to represent a country as important as Brazil, I believe that there is nothing better.”
He also became the fifth member of an exclusive club of Brazilians to score in all three group stage games, and the first to do so since Ronaldo and Rivaldo both did so in 2002.
“There were always times when I couldn’t show my football,” Vinícius said. “It brings a certain relief."
Brazil coach Carlo Ancelotti coached Vinícius at Real Madrid from 2021 to 2025. While guiding Vinícius to global stardom along the way, Ancelotti — who Vinícius calls the best coach in the world — won two Champions Leagues, two La Liga titles and one Copa del Rey in that span.
And while wearing Brazil colors for Ancelotti, Vinícius has been completely reinvigorated. In 39 games for Brazil under previous coaches, Vinícius netted just six goals. In just 13 under Ancelotti, he has scored seven.
“I had no question in my mind of how far or well he’d come to this World Cup,” Ancelotti said. “It makes him happy to play for the national team. He’s doing a brilliant job.”
After his goal against Haiti in Brazil’s second World Cup game, Vinícius joked that he needs to listen to Ancelotti more.
“For sure when we get to the dressing room, he’ll say he knows a lot about football,” he said.
But so does Vinícius. And he promises to get even better.
“I will also evolve and improve in the competition,” he said. “And the hope only increases between us, between our fans and between our family.”
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Zach Pascuzzi is a student in the University of Georgia’s Carmical Sports Media Institute.
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AP World Cup: https://apnews.com/hub/fifa-world-cup
