On Thursday, January 9, in the Spanish Super Cup, Real Madrid and Mallorca will go head-to-head, and all signs point to another fiery clash between Pablo Maffeo and Vinícius Júnior. Maffeo, a defender born in Spain and later naturalized as an Argentine citizen, earned a call-up to Argentina’s national team in 2023 under Lionel Scaloni, where he had the opportunity to share the locker room with Lionel Messi.
A self-proclaimed boxing enthusiast, Maffeo recently shared his interest in stepping into the ring during an interview with Indómitos TV. When asked about participating in an event hosted by renowned Spanish streamer Ibai Llanos, Maffeo said, “I’d love to. I’m actually thinking about having a fight just to feel what it’s like… that adrenaline.” However, he noted, “I’d have to talk to the club, but I’m keen to do it”.
The interview took a spicy turn when Maffeo was asked if he’d consider fighting Vinícius Júnior. “That would be in an alternate world, a fictional life, but I think it could be the most-watched fight in history,” Maffeo remarked. Confidently, he added, “I’d win, no doubt about it. I’d knock him out in 10 seconds”.
Maffeo didn’t stop there. He revealed his in-game strategy for disrupting the Brazilian forward. “I insult him to see if I can throw him off his game. The rivalry stays on the pitch, but I enjoy it,” the Argentine defender admitted.
Vinicius Junior of Real Madrid competes for the ball with Pablo Maffeo of RCD Mallorca. (Aitor Alcalde/Getty Images)
Past clashes between Maffeo and Vinícius
Maffeo and Vinícius have a history of heated encounters on the field. Their rivalry dates back to the 2021-22 season when Maffeo committed a hard foul on the Brazilian, leading to an intense reaction from Vinícius.
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Reflecting on that incident, Maffeo acknowledged he should have been sent off. “The tackle I made in the 2021-22 season was a straight red. My foot went up, and there’s no justification—it was a clear red card. I got lucky,” he said.
He also brought up a more recent clash where he fouled Vinícius but avoided expulsion. “The one a few months ago wasn’t a red card. I got lucky that the fourth official was nearby and saw the intensity. I went for the ball but ended up stepping on him—it wasn’t intentional,” he explained.
Representing Argentina with gratitude
Despite being born in Spain, Maffeo chose to represent Argentina, thanks to his mother’s Argentine roots. Lionel Scaloni included him in Argentina’s squad for the FIFA World Cup Qualifiers in November 2023.
Although Maffeo didn’t get any playing time, he expressed immense gratitude for the opportunity to be part of Lionel Messi’s team. In an emotional Instagram post, he thanked his mother for making his dream possible.
“Thanks to you, I’ve fulfilled a dream. I’ve been able to feel the warmth of a country that welcomed me with open arms and showed me its kindness, humanity, joy, passion, ambition, support, and so much more. Everything is thanks to you and for you, Mom,” Maffeo wrote.
