Brazilian Vinicius Junior, star of Real Madrid, is steadily on the path to achieving individual feats that have been absent for a long time. Vinicius played a significant role in securing Madrid's fifteenth Champions League title by scoring against Borussia Dortmund during the 2-0 victory on Saturday night.
## Ronaldo's Curse
The number 7 shirt at Real Madrid holds great significance, having been worn by legends such as Butragueño, Juanito, Raúl González, and Cristiano Ronaldo. However, this jersey lost its shine after Ronaldo's departure and became a curse for anyone who wore it.
Real Madrid gave the number 7 shirt to Mariano Diaz in 2018, hoping he would be the successor to "the Phenomenon" after his notable performance on loan at Lyon. However, injuries plagued Diaz, causing his star to fade, and he became useless on the Real Madrid bench until his contract expired last summer.
In the summer of 2019, Real Madrid signed Eden Hazard from Chelsea for a fee exceeding 100 million euros. The club decided to take the number 7 shirt from Mariano and give it to Hazard. Before the opening match of La Liga against Celta Vigo, Hazard suffered a thigh injury, sidelining him for a month, followed by another ankle injury lasting eight days.
Against Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League, Hazard sustained another injury—a sprain in his right ankle—that kept him out for three months. The injury saga for Hazard continued, and he played only 76 matches over four seasons, scoring just seven goals. He went from being a global superstar sought after by clubs to a burden on Real Madrid, prompting the management to terminate his contract.
The cursed shirt passed to Vinicius Junior, sparking talks of Ronaldo's curse haunting the Brazilian, but he completely dispelled it, restoring the shine to the shirt of legends.
## Exceptional Season
Vinicius Junior is having an exceptional season with the Merengues, becoming the most crucial player in the Spanish team's attacking line. The Brazilian has played 39 matches across all competitions with Real Madrid, scoring 24 goals and providing 11 assists.
In the Champions League, Vinicius showcased his skills against Bayern Munich in the semifinals, scoring two goals that kept Real Madrid's hopes alive in the tournament. He also scored in the final, completely extinguishing Borussia Dortmund's hopes of a comeback and clinching the fifteenth title for the Merengues.
The Samba star also contributed to winning the Spanish Super Cup, scoring a hat trick in the final against traditional rivals Barcelona, where Madrid triumphed 4-1. In La Liga, in 26 matches, he netted 15 goals and assisted six others, being one of the key pillars in securing the title.
## Awaited Achievement
After such an impressive performance and winning the Champions League, Vinicius has emerged as one of the top contenders for the Ballon d'Or. The 23-year-old only needs to secure the Copa América title with the Seleção this summer to ensure he wins the prestigious award.
Despite denying thoughts of winning the award, it remains a dream for every football player in the world. The Brazilian stated after the victory over Dortmund last night: "The Ballon d'Or doesn't matter to me; the people close to me say I'm the best, and I believe them."
The last Brazilian to win the Ballon d'Or was Ricardo Kaká, the former star of Milan and Real Madrid, in 2007, before the legendary rivalry between Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi began. The last player from Real Madrid to win the award was Karim Benzema in 2022, following his incredible performance that year, leading the team to the Champions League title.
