Vinicius Junior Biography: Goals, Height, Parents, Wife, Instagram, Awards, Age & Net Worth

Vinícius José Paixão de Oliveira Júnior, also known as Vinícius Júnior or Vini Jr., is a professional footballer hailing from Brazil.

He is a winger for Real Madrid in La Liga and the Brazil national team. Hailing from São Gonçalo, Vinícius started his professional career at Flamengo, debuting at 16 in 2017.

During his youth career with Brazil, he played a crucial role in winning the 2015 South American U-15 Championship and the 2017 South American U-17 Championship, where he emerged as the top goal scorer.

Profile

Full Name: Vinícius José Paixão de Oliveira Júnior
Date of Birth: July 12, 2000
Age: 24 years old
Gender: Male
Place of Birth: São Gonçalo, Brazil
Nationality: Brazilian
Profession: Professional footballer
Height: 1.76 m (5 ft 9 in)
Parents: Vinícius José Paixão (father) and Tatiana Oliveira (mother)
Siblings: Alessandra Oliveira and two brothers
Relationship Status: Dating
Girlfriend: Maria Julia Mazalli (separated)
Net Worth: $35 million

Early Life and Education

Vinícius Júnior, now at the age 24, was born on July 12, 2000, in São Gonçalo, Brazil. Raised in a supportive household by his parents, Vinícius developed a love for football at a young age.

He has an older sister named Alessandra Oliveira and two brothers. His father, Vinícius José Paixão, played a significant role in nurturing his talent.

Coming from a humble Catholic family, Vinícius moved to Abolição to live with his uncle, Ulisses, closer to Ninho do Urubu (the “Vultures’ Nest”). He began receiving financial support from Flamengo and assistance from entrepreneurs.

From 2007 to 2010, Vinícius participated in futsal classes at Flamengo’s school in São Gonçalo at the Canto do Rio, a well-known club in the center of Niterói. In 2009, at nine, Vinícius tried out for Flamengo’s futsal team.

While the club recognized his potential, they asked him to return the following year due to his young age.

Personal Life

Brazilian footballer Vinicius Junior was in a relationship with model Maria Mazali, who is five years older than him, in 2023.

The two initially connected on social media in 2019. Following their split, rumors suggested he had a romantic involvement with volleyball player Keila Alves after posting similar photos from hotel rooms in Sao Paulo. Vinicious has also been in a relationship with Kenia Os, a Mexican singer.

Career

Vinícius made his debut for Flamengo on May 13, 2017, as a substitute in the 82nd minute during a 1–1 draw against Atlético Mineiro in the Brazilian Série A. Two days later, he signed a contract extension with the club, prolonging his stay until 2022 and receiving a significant salary increase and a buyout clause raise from €30 million to €45 million.

This renewal was reportedly part of the transfer deal between Flamengo and Real Madrid, with an agreement to sell Vinícius to the Spanish club in July 2018.

On August 10, 2017, Vinícius scored his first professional goal for Flamengo in a 5–0 win against Palestino in a Copa Sudamericana match. He also scored his first goal in the Brazilian Série A on August 19, contributing to a 2–0 victory over Atlético Goianiense.

Real Madrid signed a contract with Vinícius on May 23, 2017, to acquire him after his 18th birthday on July 12, 2018, for a reported fee of €46 million. This made him the second most expensive player sold in Brazilian football history at the time. He was initially set to return to Brazil on loan in July 2018.

Vinícius was officially introduced as a Real Madrid player on July 20, 2018, and given squad number 28. He made his debut for the club on September 29 as a substitute in a match against Atlético Madrid. His first start came on October 31 in a 4–0 Copa del Rey victory against Melilla, where he assisted on two goals.

On October 30, 2015, Vinícius Júnior was selected to represent Brazil in the South American U-15 Championship by coach Guilherme Dalla Déa. He played a key role in Brazil’s victory, finishing as the tournament’s second top-scorer with seven goals and was named the player of the tournament.

This success led to his signing with Flamengo at the age of 16. In June 2016, he scored two goals and provided two assists in a friendly against Chile U-17.

In March 2017, Vinícius debuted in the South American U-17 Championship, scoring a goal in a 3–0 win over Peru. He continued to shine, scoring crucial goals in the final stage, securing Brazil’s place in the 2017 FIFA U-17 World Cup.

Despite not participating in the World Cup, he was instrumental in Brazil’s victory in the South American U-17 Championship. He was named the tournament’s best player and top goal-scorer with seven goals.

Moving on to his senior career, Vinícius was called to the Brazil national team for the first time in February 2019 but had to withdraw due to an injury. He made his senior international debut in September of the same year. He was also included in Brazil’s 2021 Copa América squad and appeared in the final. In March 2022, he scored his first goal for the national team in a 4–0 victory.

Controversy

In 2023, Vinícius faced racist slurs and chants from football fans in Spain and an effigy of him being hanged from a bridge in Madrid. The Spanish Police arrested four men in connection with the puppet.

Vinícius criticized La Liga for normalizing racism and called for stricter measures and penalties to combat such behavior.

Real Madrid released a statement strongly condemning the racist abuse, considering it an attack on Spain’s democratic coexistence model. FIFA president Gianni Infantino chose Vinícius to lead a special FIFA anti-racism committee.

This led to global outrage and support, with experts believing it could be a turning point in the fight against racism in football and Spain. Public figures worldwide expressed solidarity with Vinícius, including Brazilian president Luis Inácio Lula da Silva and Brazil’s iconic Christ the Redeemer statue, which turned off its lights in support. The impact of racist abuse in football extends beyond the stadium walls, as highlighted by Sean Gregory in Time magazine.