Vinicius becomes Real Madrid captain at 24: How old was Cristiano Ronaldo when he achieved the same?

Real Madrid defeated Real Sociedad on Wednesday in the first leg of the Copa del Rey semifinals, securing a 1-0 victory thanks to a first-half goal from Endrick. However, one of the key moments of the match was Vinicius Junior wearing the team’s captain’s armband for the first time, an honor that was also held by Cristiano Ronaldo during his time at the club.

Given the demanding commitments Real Madrid will face in the coming days in La Liga and the UEFA Champions League, head coach Carlo Ancelotti decided to rest some of the team’s key players for the match against Real Sociedad. Among those rested were players who typically wear the captain’s armband, such as Luka Modric, Lucas Vazquez, and Federico Valverde.

As a result, Vinicius was entrusted with the responsibility of leading the team on the field—an honor he had never experienced before in his Real Madrid career. What makes this achievement even more remarkable is that the Brazilian winger reached this milestone at just 24 years of age, underscoring his immense importance to the team and his rapid evolution as a player.

To provide context, Cristiano Ronaldo became captain of Real Madrid for the first time when he was nearing his 28th birthday. This moment came on January 6, 2013, during a La Liga match between Real Madrid and Real Sociedad—curiously the same opponent the Spanish giants faced this week.

Vinicius Junior of Real Madrid wearing the captain’s armband during a game against Real Sociedad on February 26, 2025.

The age difference between Ronaldo’s first captaincy and Vinicius’ is striking. The Brazilian is more than three years ahead of the Portuguese forward, although CR7 has one advantage: he achieved the captaincy in fewer years at the club. In the 2012-13 season, Cristiano was in his third year at Real Madrid, while Vinicius is already in his seventh season with the club.

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What did Vinicius say about his captaincy at Real Madrid?

After the 1-0 win against Real Sociedad, Vinicius spoke to Real Madrid TV, expressing his satisfaction with the achievement. “It’s something very special to be able to play for so long here and at the age of 24 to play my first game as captain. It’s very special for me and for my family, after everything we’ve been through to get here,” said the Brazilian winger.

“I am living it. It’s something I never even dreamed of,” Vini added. “It’s something different because you never imagine what’s going to happen to you. And happy to be able to enter as captain of the best club in the world to a Cup semifinal.” The superstar then made it clear that he has aspirations to continue breaking records at Real Madrid: “In the next game, it will be 300, but I already want the 400 and the 500 and to make history at this club.”

Real Madrid’s next challenges

This Saturday, Real Madrid will face an important match against Real Betis in Seville, aiming to reclaim the leadership in the standings that Barcelona recently took from them. Three days later, they will play the first leg of the UEFA Champions League round of 16 against Atletico Madrid—undoubtedly the most demanding challenge ahead for the Spanish giants.