Real Madrid and Argentina legend sets the differences between Cristiano Ronaldo and Vinicius Junior

Following a series of controversies, a Real Madrid and Argentina legend sent a powerful message to Vinicius Junior, highlighting the differences between him and Cristiano Ronaldo.

Despite being one of the world’s top footballers, Brazilian star Vinicius Junior has been at the center of more controversies than standout performances during the 2024-25 season. Addressing Vinicius’ fiery character, a Real Madrid and Argentina legend shared a candid message, highlighting the differences between Vinicius and Cristiano Ronaldo.

Jorge Valdano, a former Real Madrid player (1984-1987) and 1986 World Cup winner with Argentina, spoke with Movistar+ about Vinicius’ challenges, drawing comparisons to iconic Real Madrid figures.

“First of all, Vinicius needs to do what is expected of a superstar: win games. Many times, Madrid owes more to him than to the collective effort because he has reached an extraordinary level of impact. Someone should tell him that what he’s experiencing now was also experienced by Cristiano Ronaldo, Hugo Sanchez, and Alfredo Di Stefano before him. Why? Because they were the best,” Valdano said.

The Argentine highlighted how opponents exploit Vinicius’ emotional responses to gain an edge: “What does an opponent do against the best? They try to take him out of the game and provoke him. Why? Because they’re afraid of him. It’s almost a tribute when people treat you the way they do, but he doesn’t clearly interpret it as such.“

Valdano also pointed out that while Vinicius has improved his technical game, he still struggles to manage his emotions: “While he has done so much to correct his footballing flaws, what he is capable of resolving with his feet, he isn’t resolving with his head. I assume the club is working on this. There is a kind of public overprotection, but I understand that within the club there must be some concern, and they are likely addressing it,” he ended his message to Vinicius.

Valdano’s comments come in the wake of recent incidents involving Vinicius, including his red card against Valencia for striking the goalkeeper and his heated confrontation with Mallorca defender Pablo Maffeo, which distracted him from the game. These moments have raised questions about the winger’s ability to stay composed under pressure.

Cristiano Ronaldo backs Vinicius as the best

Despite the criticism, Vinicius remains a key player for Real Madrid and is often included in conversations about the best players in the world. While he missed out on the 2024 Ballon d’Or to Manchester City’s Rodri, Vinicius was named UEFA’s The Best.

At the Globe Soccer Awards, Cristiano Ronaldo publicly endorsed Vinicius, calling him the world’s best player. “I like the way they build their career, (Jude) Bellingham, Lamine (Yamal), Vinicius, who did a fantastic job, and in my opinion he deserved to win the Ballon d’Or. It was unfair in my opinion and I say it in front of everyone,” the Portuguese legend said.