• Vinicius Junior was heavily criticised during his first three seasons at Real Madrid

• He has since inspired them to Champions League and Club World Cup glory

• Vinicius was saluted by his team-mates and coach after the Morocco 2022 final

Vinicius Junior felt the weight of the world on his shoulders. If becoming the most expensive teenager of all-time wasn’t enough, he was officially presented as a Real Madrid player in the same month as they sold arguably the greatest performer in their illustrious history, Cristiano Ronaldo. Hyperbole was rapidly engulfed by castigation. Vinicius became the subject of curriculum and character assassination. Belittling memes drenched the internet, he was chastised by media and fans alike, and labelled “a circus act” and “a showboater with no end product.” His statistics didn’t aid the case for his defence. Vinicius managed just eight goals in 82 appearances in his first three seasons at the Bernabeu. Then along came ‘Don Carlo’. “He helped me so much, in a lot of ways,” said Vinicius of Ancelotti, who became his boss ahead of the 2021/22 season. “As soon as he came he spoke to me a lot, gave me advice. “He was tough when he needed to be, told me when I was not making the right decisions, and offered me a hug when I needed it. He is like a father to me.”

Ancelotti was a very proud father as last season ended. Vinicius scored 17 times in 35 appearances to inspire Madrid to La Liga glory and hit the only goal in the UEFA Champions League final. But if Vinicius was the co-star to lead act Benzema in 2021/22, he arrived at the FIFA Club World Cup Morocco 2022™ burdening the hope of the Madristas. The French striker managed just an hour of action at the global finals. The Brazilian winger performed for them both. Unlimited trickery, three goals, an assist, two man-of-the-match awards and the Golden Ball followed for Vinicius. Fundamentally, so too did a record-extending fifth Club World Cup title.

“He’s a very special player,” Toni Rudiger told FIFA+ after the thrilling 5-3 win over Al Hilal in the final. “I can see it everyday. He’s working hard. This is just a result of his hard work.”

“Vini is a superstar,” added Rodrygo. “It’s a pleasure for me to be able to play alongside him, have him in our team. He’s in great form. He’s been playing great football since last season.” Ancelotti was once again a proud father. “We're very happy with him,” said the Italian. “He keeps improving, he's more efficient, he's scoring goals. He makes the difference in every game.” The 19th Club World Cup indubitably belonged to Vinicius Junior. Who’s mocking now?