“He teaches me a great deal and calls me whenever he can” - Real Madrid star Vinicius on learning from Ronaldo Nazario and Cristiano Ronaldo
Real Madrid superstar Vinicius Junior has named club legends Ronaldo Nazario and Cristiano Ronaldo as his idols.
Vinicius is one of Los Blancos' main protagonists at the moment. He has gone from a promising prospect to one of the best players in the world. Vinicius spoke about his idols, telling UEFA's official website:
"There's Pele, Kobe [Bryant], Ronaldo [Nazario], [Michael] Jordan, Cristiano [Ronaldo]. I tool a bit from every generation of our favorite sports. Pele is out king."
Vinicius added that Ronaldo Nazario has acted as a guide to him. He said:
"Ronaldo was a star for Brazil and played for Real Madrid as well. He teaches me a great deal and calls me whenever he can give me some tips. Ever since he told me his best ability was in one on ones with the keeper, I started to think about it and improved a lot after the conversation I had with him. Now everytime I have one-on-one, I'm as calm as I can be."
Vinicius has been a key player for Los Merengues this season. He has scored 23 goals and has provided 11 assists in 38 appearances across all competitions this season.
Carlo Ancelotti's side have won the La Liga title and have reached the UEFA Champions League final. They will play Borussia Dortmund in the UCL final on June 1.
Real Madrid superstar Vinicius Junior has previously named Cristiano Ronaldo as his idol
Back in 2023, Vinicius Junior named Ronaldo as his idol. Vinicius mainly operates as a left-winger, the position the Portuguese icon played for the lion's share of his career.
Thus, it's unsurprising that Vinicius has learned a trick or two from the Portugal captain's style of play. The Real Madrid No. 7 said in 2023 (via Marca):
"I'm inspired by Cristiano Ronaldo because I've watched all of his games and he marked an era at the club. He's an idol for me."
Vinicius wears the famous No.7 shirt, Ronaldo's iconic number. He has also imitated Ronaldo's celebrations after scoring on multiple occasions.