Toni Kroos Guides Vinicius Jr. on the Path to Success

Vinicius Junior continues to be a topic of conversation. During the friendly match between Brazil and Tunisia in Lille, the Real Madrid forward faced criticism from Toni Kroos, who has been outspoken since his retirement. “I often told him to stop because it felt like his behavior was affecting the entire team. We sensed that things were turning against us because of him. I frequently tried to calm him down on the field, especially to keep him focused, which sometimes was a challenge. I would often say, ‘Vinicius, you’re so talented that you don’t need to do that.’”

The German added: “When we play an exceptional match, especially one like this (the Clásico), we aren’t happy. I never liked being substituted either. But to be honest, I never went straight to the locker room after. People can always judge from the outside, but I like to think that no one, except for those present at a Clásico in front of 80,000 spectators with a score of 2-1, really knows what we want. That emotion is hard to imagine afterward. Most who judge simply can’t put themselves in that position.” It remains to be seen how Vini Jr will respond.