Vinícius Júnior: "I need confidence right now"

Real Madrid and Brazil star Vinícius Júnior has spoken openly about his recent dip in form and lack of self-confidence. The Brazilian forward, usually sharp and prolific, has struggled to score for both club and country. According to him, this situation is directly linked to the mental fatigue and difficult experiences following the summer World Cup. This is reported by Goal.com .

Having started the current season with difficulty, Vinícius has managed only one goal for Real Madrid so far. However, he regained some of his confidence in his latest appearance for the national team. The friendly match against Australia was held at Suncorp Stadium and ended in a 4-2 victory for the Brazilians. In that match, Vinícius converted a penalty in the 80th minute to change the scoreline.

Mutual support on the pitch and the penalty episode

This penalty was an unexpected opportunity for the forward. In reality, after the team's primary penalty taker Raphinha left the pitch, it was Arsenal midfielder Bruno Guimarães' turn. However, understanding his teammate's mental state, Guimarães gave the penalty-taking duty to Vinícius, choosing to support him. This clearly demonstrated the unity and mutual trust within the team.

After the game, Vinícius Júnior expressed his gratitude for the support of his international teammates. He specifically highlighted that Bruno Guimarães deliberately gave up his opportunity to provide him with mental support. "Bruno Guimarães is the penalty taker if Raphinha is not there. I thought he would want to take it, but he knew that right now, I need confidence like air and water," the forward said.

World Cup trauma and team unity

The player admitted that the defeat at the World Cup was difficult to digest and the subsequent recovery process was not easy. In turn, Bruno Guimarães noted that this step proved there is no ego in the team and that everyone's main goal is the benefit of the Brazil national team. He stated that no personal ambitions are important in the national team; the most important thing is team success.

Brazil national team head coach Carlo Ancelotti also defended the star player who is going through a difficult period. Despite the slight dip in form, the experienced specialist emphasized how important Vinícius is for the national team and stated that he has full confidence in him.