Real Madrid star Vinicius Jr names Cristiano Ronaldo, LeBron James and 4 other legendary athletes as his idols
Real Madrid superstar Vinicius Junior has named Cristiano Ronaldo, Pele, Kobe Bryant, Michael Jordan, Lebron James, and Ronaldo Nazario (R9) as his sporting idols.
The Brazilian forward has a huge tattoo on his back with murals and symbols of all his idols. It is a work of art containing sporting legends like Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, Muhammad Ali and Pele.
Moreover, the ensemble has a big '7' written at the top, signifying Vinicius' respect for the Real Madrid legend, Cristiano Ronaldo.
“My idols are Pele, Kobe Bryant, Cristiano Ronaldo, Michael Jordan, Lebron James and R9,” said Vinicius Junior (via @MadridXtra)
Vinicius is having a fantastic season with the Los Blancos, having scored 15 goals and assisted five more. The Spanish giants have already won the Spanish Super Cup and La Liga and will play the UEFA Champions League final on June 1.
Vinicius joined Real Madrid from Flamengo in the summer of 2018, the same year Ronaldo left the Los Blancos for Juventus. Although the two didn't get the chance to share the pitch, Vinicius has repeatedly stated his love and respect for the Portugal talisman.
"I am 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," revealed Vinicius in a 2023 interview. (via Marca)
Furthermore, the Brazilian has been seen doing the iconic 'SIU' celebration of Ronaldo many times after scoring some crucial goals.
Most recently, the Brazillian performed the celebration after scoring against Barcelona in the Supercopa de Espana final at Al Nassr's King Saud University Stadium.
Cristiano Ronaldo's career at Real Madrid in numbers
Cristiano Ronaldo is the highest scorer in the history of Real Madrid, scoring 450 goals and 120 assists in 438 appearances (via MessivsRonaldo.app). This equates to a whopping 66 minutes per goal contribution. Additionally, the ex-Los Blancos no. 7 has bagged 44 hattricks and 33 direct free-kick goals.
In terms of collective achievements, the Portuguese has won four Champions Leagues, three Club World Cups, two La Ligas, three UEFA Super Cups, two Copa Del Reys, and two Spanish Super Cups for the Spanish club.
Cristiano has also won four Ballon d'Ors, three Golden Shoes, two FIFA The Best Awards, three Pichichis, and was crowned UEFA Best Player in Europe on three occasions.
On one occasion, the Los Blancos' president, Florentino Perez, labeled him as 'the heir to Alfredo Di Stefano after his unbelievable overhead kick against Juventus in the Round of 16 of the UCL 2017/18.