“Cristiano was a bit like that when he was young” - Ex-Real Madrid star tells Vinicius Jr how to reach Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo level
Former Real Madrid midfielder Sami Khedira has urged Los Blancos forward Vinicius Jr to respect his opponents more to become a better player. He stated that Vinicius' attitude reminds him of a young Cristiano Ronaldo, but that the Portuguese legend quickly grew out of those habits.
Speaking to MARCA, Khedira stated that Vinicius often seems angry on the pitch and should consider tweaking his attitude. He believes that the Brazilian winger can win three or four Ballons d'Or if he becomes a leader on the pitch and said (via Madrid Universal):
“He seems angry many times. Cristiano was a bit like that when he was young, but he changed quickly. If Vinicius wants to be like Messi, Zidane, Cristiano, or Xavi, he needs to be a little more respectful with the opponent, with the referees. That needs to change. But speaking of football, he is a number one, of course. I am not a big fan of individual awards, but I think both Rodri and Vini were the best this year. If Vini changes a little and becomes more of a gentleman and a leader, he will win three or four Ballon d’Or awards.”
Sami Khedira spent five years with Real Madrid from 2010 to 2015. He made 161 appearances for Los Blancos, scoring nine goals and providing 13 assists.
Former Real Madrid star comments on Vinicius Jr losing Ballon d'Or to Rodri
Former Real Madrid midfielder Sami Khedira believes that Rodri winning the Ballon d'Or over Vinicius Jr wasn't an outrage as both players had fantastic seasons. He claimed that the Spaniard's importance on the pitch is shown in Manchester City's recent results and said (via Madrid Universal):
“What a great debate… I was a midfielder, and I love Rodri’s football. And if you see how City is without Rodri, you realise his importance. I saw him play four matches in the Euro, and you can tell how he manages everything. Then there is Vinicius, and he also deserves it. Vini changes games. When Madrid does not know what to do, they give the ball to Vinicius and it is over, he fixes it.”
Manchester City have been on a terrible run since Rodri's ACL injury at the start of the 2024-25 season. They have won just twice in their last 10 matches across competitions and have slipped to fourth in the Premier League table.