“He went from less to more” - Dani Ceballos hails Real Madrid teammate as ‘best player in the world’ after win vs Chelsea
Dani Ceballos labeled Real Madrid teammate Vinicius Jr. as the best player in the world after their team's pre-season friendly match against Chelsea. The two teams met on Tuesday (August 6) in North Carolina, and the Spanish giants walked away with a 2-1 win.
Vinicius and Ceballos both started, with the latter opening the scoring in the 19th minute after bundling a deflected Lucas Vazquez shot into an empty net from an unmissable distance. Eight minutes later, the Brazilian winger played in Brahim Diaz with a well-placed through ball, who then rounded the goalkeeper to score from a tight angle.
Noni Madueke headed in an Enzo Fernandez cross six minutes from half-time to half the deficit. Ceballos played the full 90 minutes as he helped his team secure a win against the Blues — their first this pre-season after losses against AC Milan (1-0) and Barcelona (2-1).
After the match, the Spanish midfielder praised Vinicius and said (via @MadridXtra on X):
"Vinicius' level is commendable. He went from less to more and now he is the best player in the world."
The Brazil international had a mixed game for Real Madrid against the Blues. He failed to get any shot on target and completed just 33% of his six dribbles, but created three chances for his teammates — one of which was converted by Diaz.
Vinicius Jr aiming for more success ahead of new Real Madrid season
Vinicius Jr seems to have an insatiable appetite for success. Since his €45 million move from Flamengo in 2018, he has won 12 titles, registering 83 goals and 75 assists in 264 senior matches.
But the 24-year-old, who helped Real Madrid win the Champions League and La Liga last season, wants to better that campaign in 2024-25. When asked to state his ambitions for the new season, he told RMTV (via ManagingMadrid):
"My goals? To win more trophies than last season, score more goals, provide more assists and keep evolving because I’m only 24 years old."
Vinicius struggled with injuries in the first half of last season but still ended the campaign with 24 goals and 11 matches in 39 appearances across competitions. For many, he is one of the favorites to win the Ballon d'Or later this year and become the first Brazilian to win the award since Kaka in 2007.