Vinicius Junior’s journey to stardom has been cemented with the prestigious No. 7 jersey for Real Madrid.
The Brazilian winger first wore the number 25 at Santiago Bernabeu Stadium before moving to the number 20.
Yet, he now has the honour of donning this legendary piece thanks to his impressive development and steady performances in recent seasons.
As reported by AS, Vinicius will don the coveted No. 7 jersey, which was worn by Eden Hazard from 2019 to 2023.
The winger will also follow in the footsteps of legendary names like Raymond Kopa, Amancio Amaro Varela, Juanito, Emilio Butragueño, Raúl, and Cristiano Ronaldo.
Despite his tender age of 22, Vini has already amassed an astonishing 225 appearances for Los Blancos, making significant contributions with 59 goals and 64 assists, per Transfermarkt.
🚨💣 Vinicius and Rodrygo have NEW numbers! pic.twitter.com/tL8UsGywig
— Madrid Xtra (@MadridXtra) June 12, 2023
While he inherits Real Madrid’s iconic shirt number, his compatriot, Rodrygo de Goes will take up the No.11 jersey after previously occupying the 21 shirt.
Vini among Most Valuable Players
Sports Brief also reported on Vini finishing behind only Erling Haaland in the ranking of the Most Valuable Player presently, according to research group CIES Football Observatory.
The statistics company based their metrics on estimated transfer value in world football, with the list including the likes of Kylian Mbappe among a raft of promising young talents.
Undoubtedly Real Madrid’s best player this season, Vinicius churned out superlative performances week-in and week-out with little fuss, despite enduring persistent fan racism.
Ballon d’Or ranking: Vinicius drops
Earlier, Sports Brief reported on Vini falling down the rankings as Lionel Messi prepares to battle Erling Haaland for the 2023 edition of the Ballon d’Or award.
The Real Madrid winger finished the season with the Copa Del Rey, the Club World Club, and the UEFA Super Cup to his name, but ranks lower on the award list.
Vinicius is the only player in Europe’s top 5 leagues to have scored at least 20 goals (24) and provided at least 20 assists (25) in all competitions, bar Messi.