This week, Real Madrid took a significant step in their quest to qualify for the UEFA Champions League Round of 16, securing a dramatic victory over Manchester City in stoppage time. Vinicius Junior played a pivotal role in the win, earning MVP honors for his performance. The Brazilian winger is now just two goals shy of a landmark that would place him alongside the greatest players in the clubâs storied history: a milestone currently held by Ronaldo Nazario.
With 101 goals, Vini is the second-highest-scoring Brazilian in Real Madridâs history, trailing only Ronaldo, who leads with 103 goals. Given the number of Brazilian legends who have graced the Spanish side over the years, this achievement would be a remarkable feat for the 24-year-old winger.
However, itâs important to note the significant difference in the goalscoring metrics between the two players. Ronaldo, who played for Real Madrid from 2002 to 2006, made 177 appearances for the club, averaging an impressive 0.59 goals per game.
Vinicius, on the other hand, has enjoyed a much longer tenure with the club. Having joined Los Merengues from Flamengo in 2018, the winger has spent seven years with the team, enduring a period of adaptation before finally establishing himself as one of the clubâs standout stars. As a result, his goalscoring record is a bit different: It took him 295 appearances to reach 101 goals, yielding a goals-per-game average of 0.34.
Ronaldo of Real Madrid dribbles the ball past Ander Murillo of Athletic Bilbao during a match on February 11, 2006.
When can VinĂcius surpass Ronaldoâs record?
Vinicius reached the 100-goal mark for Real Madrid on January 22, scoring twice in a 2-0 win over RB Salzburg in the UEFA Champions League. Since then, however, he has not found the back of the net in any of the four subsequent matches across various competitions.
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Vinicius Jrâs salary: How much does he earn? His contract with Real Madrid
His next opportunity to move closer to, or even surpass, Ronaldoâs record will come this Saturday, February 15, when Real Madrid face Osasuna in La Liga. Three days later, the team will host Manchester City for the second leg of their Champions League encounter at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium. Perhaps one of those matches will be the stage for Vinicius to finally top the ranking.
The Brazilian top-scorers in Real Madrid history
Real Madridâs rich history is filled with legendary Brazilian talent, and Ronaldo still holds the record for the most goals by a Brazilian player in the clubâs history, with 103. Vinicius JĂșnior, for now, sits in second place with 101 goals.
In third place is a surprising name: legendary left-back Roberto Carlos, who scored 69 goals in 527 appearances for the club. Fourth is another current player, Rodrygo Goes, who has netted 67 goals for Los Blancos and is likely to climb the rankings in the near future. Completing the top five is another former left-back, Marcelo, who scored 38 goals in 546 appearances for Real Madrid.
