Vinícius Júnior is putting together another sensational season for LaLiga leaders Real Madrid, overcoming injury issues to start the campaign.
The 2021/22 Champions League hero is one of the most effective and electrifying wingers in the world, and he is still banging home the goals in a more central role since Karim Benzema’s departure to Saudi Arabia.
But just how good is Vini Jr.? And where does the Brazilian superstar rank among the world’s best footballers today? Here is where he stands in the top 10.
10. Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, LW, Napoli
What makes Khvicha Kvaratskhelia so good
Khvicha Kvaratskhelia inspired Napoli to their first Serie A title since the heyday of Diego Armando Maradona, and he did it in his first season in a top-flight league, running away with MVP honors in the process.
An ambipedal threat on the wing, Kvaratskhelia is one of the most captivating dribblers and creative wingers in the world, and he has plenty of end product, too, scoring 12 goals and 10 assists last year with 10 goals already this season despite Napoli’s struggles as a team.
Why Vinícius Júnior is better than Khvicha Kvaratskhelia
Yet even in Kvaratskhelia’s MVP-winning season in Serie A, Vinícius Júnior was putting up more impressive numbers for Real Madrid in LaLiga, earning more than a dribble completed and more than two fouls drawn per game than the Georgian sensation.
Vini has been doing this at a higher level for longer than Kvara, given he was a Champions League winner in the 2021/22 season with 17 goals and 10 assists. He’s a better goal-scorer and a more relentless dribbler in one-on-ones.
9. Bukayo Saka, RW, Arsenal
What makes Bukayo Saka so good
Bukayo Saka is one of the most consistent and hard-working players in the world. He is the star man for Arsenal, a team that is now standing toe-to-toe with Manchester City as the best in English football.
Unselfish to his core, Saka stays on the touchline to draw defenders out but also comes in and scores a high volume of goals, leading the way for an Arsenal side playing without a true goal-scoring striker.
Saka has mashed 13 goals with 8 assists already this season, becoming a better creative presence with each passing campaign he is in an Arsenal shirt.
Why Vinícius Júnior is better than Bukayo Saka
There’s a debate between Vinícius Jr. and Bukayo Saka among Real Madrid and Arsenal fans, but it doesn’t seem to actually be a contest when breaking down the numbers.
Not only has Vini achieved more team success as a two-time LaLiga champion and former Champions League winner, but Saka has also never notched Vini’s 17 goals in league play – nor has he hit double-digit goal contributions in consecutive UCLs.
Vini is on a different level as a dribbler, as he regularly averages more than three fouls drawn and three dribbles completed per game in league play. Saka struggles to hit two.
8. Jamal Musiala, AM, Bayern Munich
What makes Jamal Musiala so good
Jamal Musiala might be the best pure playmaker in world football, though Manchester City veteran Kevin De Bruyne surely still has something to say about that.
This season, Musiala is still going strong despite Bayern Munich’s turmoil, scoring 5 goals with 10 assists while averaging close to 4 dribbles completed per game.
Musiala might have the best close control in the current game, with some Bundesliga observers even noting that he may be the best in this regard since Lionel Messi. A brilliant player, Musiala’s eye for goal and vision for pockets of space make him the most dangerous player in German football.
Why Vinícius Júnior is better than Jamal Musiala
Even though Musiala has scored 10 goals and is actually averaging more dribbles per game than Vini, the latter player has 12 goals and a much more difficult task in his role at Madrid.
Musiala gets to be a 10 and benefit from Harry Kane and Leroy Sané in a league with more goals and space. Vini is getting constantly kicked by hard-nosed LaLiga defenses that pack in tight. Plus, tactically, Vini has to provide space and dynamism like a winger while anchoring and scoring goals like a striker in the new two-forward system Carlo Ancelotti created.
7. Antoine Griezmann, ST, Atlético Madrid
What makes Antoine Griezmann so good
Antoine Griezmann is a legend of the game and a titanic presence for Atlético Madrid, who gives them hope of a possible Champions League semifinal birth if they can get past Borussia Dortmund.
In league play, Atléti always have an outside shot at the league title over rivals Real Madrid and Barcelona because of the magic Griezmann provides.
Better with age, Griezmann is more of a leader now than he was five years ago in his first peak with Los Rojiblancos before mistakenly leaving for Barcelona. The former World Cup hero is an ace playmaker, goal-scorer, and even defensive presence.
Why Vinícius Júnior is better than Antoine Griezmann
There’s a case to be made that Antoine Griezmann is the best player in LaLiga, but Vinícius Jr. has a stronger case to the crown. He has scored more goals (12 to 11) so far this season despite playing in four fewer games, and the Brazilian triples the Frenchman’s output in dribbles completed per match (2.9 to 0.9).
What Griezmann has in experience, Vini has in skill and athleticism. Both players are about even in terms of technique, and while Griezy has the guile of a 32-year-old, Vini has just as much heart and just as much of a knack for finding creative solutions.
6. Erling Haaland, ST, Manchester City
What makes Erling Haaland so good
Erling Haaland could have been the heir to Karim Benzema’s throne and Vini Jr.’s teammate for the next decade, but life had other plans, given Florentino Pérez’s misplaced confidence in signing Kylian Mbappé during the summer 2022 transfer window.
The Norwegian shattered the Premier League goal-scoring record in his first season with his father’s old club, Manchester City, winning the league title and helping City vanquish their Champions League demons in the process.
Haaland is still scoring goals at a torrid pace in 2024, sitting on 18 goals and 5 assists in the Premier League with 6 goals in just 7 Champions League appearances.
Why Vinícius Júnior is better than Erling Haaland
Despite Haaland’s incredible goal-scoring record, there is little doubt that Vinícius Jr. is the better overall player. Haaland is more than a poacher and can create for his teammates, but Vini offers so much more in terms of the way he destabilizes defenses with his dribbling.
When comparing their two Champions League-winning campaigns, Vini did more both in the final and in the build-up to the final of Real Madrid’s 2021/22 conquest of European football. He is the more balanced, well-rounded, and impactful player.
5. Mohamed Salah, RW, Liverpool
What makes Mohamed Salah so good
Mohamed Salah is one of the greatest players in the history of the Premier League. The Egyptian icon is beloved by all, as it is just about impossible to find something negative to say about the 2018/19 Champions League winner.
This is a player who scored an unfathomable 32 goals from the wing in his first season in the Premier League with Liverpool, having already been a star in Serie A.
At the age of 31, Salah is still a menace, and with Harry Kane out of the Premier League, there is no doubt the best right winger in the world is also the best player in English football with 15 goals and 9 assists.
An even better playmaker with age, Salah is the best pure goal-scorer from the wing and is effectively a striker from wide positions, just as Cristiano Ronaldo was at Real Madrid (and Juventus).
Why Vinícius Júnior is better than Mohamed Salah
Despite Salah’s experience and superior goal-scoring record, Vinícius Júnior has to be considered the better player right now. His dribbling numbers blow Salah’s out of the water, as he averages around three per game, whereas Salah isn’t even averaging one this season. Salah seems to be transitioning to a more goal-oriented and less progressive role in his veteran years.
Additionally, the Brazilian wide playmaker has always outshone Salah in head-to-head competition. Real Madrid have outclassed Salah’s Reds several times in the Champions League over the years, with Vini Jr. playing a starring role and Salah often disappointing. Vini was even cooking Liverpool before he broke out into a superstar, dominating them in the 2021 Champions League quarterfinals.
4. Kylian Mbappé, LW, PSG
What makes Kylian Mbappé so good
If this list were purely about the most talented footballers in the world, Kylian Mbappé would actually be No. 1. The future Real Madrid star and long-time transfer target of Florentino Pérez’s has everything it takes to be the best player in the world and honestly should be at that level.
He probably would already be considered the Ballon d’Or favorite had he moved to Madrid in 2022 instead of spurning the reigning Champions League winners for the first club they eliminated en route to said UCL triumph.
Mbappé was a key part of the French national team squad that took home the 2018 World Cup in Russia, and he was even more impressive four years later in Qatar, nearly carrying a deeply flawed Didier Deschamps-led side to another trophy.
Even though it feels like he is toiling at PSG, Mbappé still puts up video game numbers for a team that would be dismal without him, scoring at least 27 goals in each of his last three Ligue 1 seasons with 21 goals in the current campaign.
Why Vinícius Júnior is better than Kylian Mbappé
In theory, Kylian Mbappé should be ranked higher than Vinícius Júnior, but the reality is that he needs to show more consistency and be a more all-around attacking player for PSG before he can be considered the better player.
What separates Vini from Mbappé is the fact that he just does more for Real Madrid than Mbappé does for PSG and France. Mbappé is so focused on his own goals for PSG that it comes to the frustration of even his manager, and while some of that frustration is misplaced, Mbappé doesn’t complete as many dribbles or draw as many fouls as Vini Jr.
When adding in Vini’s team success with Madrid, defensive output, and key progression as a dribbler, the advantage goes to the more consistent and younger footballer. The real fun will be seeing which player’s personality rises more in Madrid, as both teammates should push each other to even greater heights.
3. Vinícius Júnior, LW, Real Madrid
What makes Vinícius Júnior so good
Vinícius Júnior is only 23 years old, yet he already has so many great big-game moments, including demolitions of Liverpool, Remontadas, a winning goal contribution in a Final, and all sorts of magical goals and dribbles in other matches.
Since his 2021/22 breakout, Vini Jr.’s numbers have been staggering. He had 17 goals and 10 assists in LaLiga that season with 4 goals and 6 assists in Real Madrid’s Champions League-winning campaign. Vini set up 2.4 key passes per game with nearly 4.5 combined dribbles completed and fouls drawn in that unforgettable Champions League season.
Vinícius is the most effective dribbler on the planet, the best creative winger, and a model of consistency. Since that big 2021/22 campaign, he has been one of the most prolific scoring wingers there is.
How Vinícius Júnior can become the best player in the world
The scary thing is Vinícius Júnior can become even better and push Jude Bellingham, Kylian Mbappé, and others to become the unquestioned best footballer in the world.
He can accomplish this by being even more incisive with his goal contributions, adding more styles of finishes to his repertoire, and being more active inside the penalty area to pounce on chances.
Basically, if Vinícius can up his goal-scoring efforts to match that of Kylian Mbappé by upgrading the technique of his finishes, he can coast to being the best in the world, because, really, he has it all as a player.
2. Harry Kane, ST, Bayern Munich
What makes Harry Kane so good
Harry Kane has as strong of a case as anyone to being the best footballer in the world, and he is already setting records in his first season with Bayern Munich, seemingly throwing Robert Lewandowski’s legacy in Bavaria into question.
Lewandowski broke Gerd Müller’s unspeakable record of 40 goals in a Bundesliga campaign, notching 41 on the last game of the season. Kane is already at 31 goals despite Bayern’s dysfunction under Thomas Tuchel, setting the record for the most goals by a player in their maiden season in the German top flight.
Of course, Kane is earning rave reviews for being much more than a goal-scorer. He has taken the mantle from Karim Benzema as the world’s best all-around striker, and he even scored 30 goals with 1.5 key passes per match for a poor Tottenham side that failed to qualify for Europe last season. There is nothing Kane can’t do at the highest level. He is the perfect striker.
Why Harry Kane is better than Vinícius Júnior
As amazing as Vinícius Júnior is, Harry Kane has to be ranked ahead of the dynamic Brazilian winger in 2024, simply because he has already scored more than 60 combined goals in the last two seasons.
Scoring 30 Premier League goals in no short feat, but nearly matching Erling Haaland in the same season while playing with clearly inferior players to the Norwegian is honestly an even bigger accomplishment that breaking the English league’s single-season scoring record.
Kane has been an elite player for years with only injury holding him back. He is the centerpiece for Bayern and the only thing keeping them in Champions League contention and within shouting distance of the Bundesliga title. Kane has made everyone around him, most namely Leroy Sané, better.
1. Jude Bellingham, AM, Real Madrid
What makes Jude Bellingham so good
The two best players in the world – and the only two better than Vinícius Jr. – right now are both from England, and one of them if Vini’s own teammate and close friend.
Jude Bellingham has somehow been even better than advertised, and he was already the most important player in the world to his team last season as a true No. 8 for Borussia Dortmund.
The teenager averaged 3.6 combined tackles and interceptions per match with 5.2 dribbles completed and fouls drawn per game, still finding it in him to directly contribute to 12 goals despite having to do all that all-around work to keep Dortmund in games.
Dortmund’s midfield would have been overrun badly without him, and the team blew the Bundesliga title when he went down with injury at the end.
Now, Bellingham is adding elite goal-scoring to his game as a No. 10 and the heart of the new Real Madrid formation, scoring 16 goals while still averaging 1.7 key passes and 1.8 dribbles completed per match. Throw in 2.3 combined tackles and interceptions per game, and you get the perfect modern-day superstar who does it all.
Why Jude Bellingham is better than Vinícius Júnior
Vinícius Júnior is still incredible and a vital player for Real Madrid because of all the work he puts in to start and finish chances, but even he has to admit Jude Bellingham is on a different plane.
Bellingham has a better goal-scoring record from midfield than Vini does as a forward. He creates more chances and contributes more defensively, too.
Although Vini has more skill and better dribbling and progression, Bellingham is still a great progressor and honestly does more with less of the ball. Jude is an efficiency monster and, in some ways, an example for Vini to follow with his off-ball movement in and around the penalty area.
The managing editor of The Trivela Effect, Kevin has 15 years of experience in digital media. He covered Real Madrid from 2019-2022 for The Real Champs as a site manager. You can contact him at the site’s official Twitter handle @TrivelaEffect or via the site’s official email thetrivelaeffect@gmail.com.