Vinicius was the deciding player in Real Madrid’s 2-1 win at Elche on Saturday afternoon. The Brazilian scored the full two goals, making Elche’s late response a mere consolation. Long mocked for his lack of precision in front of goal, the 21-year-old has developed a cool that bodes well for his future.

Vinicius has scored seven goals and three assists in eleven La Liga appearances so far this season, while in the Champions League he has contributed two goals and two assists in three. Alongside Karim Benzema, he has proven to be absolutely vital for Madrid.

Speaking to Brazilian TV channel Esporte Interativo in comments made by Mundo Deportivo, the carioca spoke about his arrival in Madrid from Flamengo as a mere teenager as well as the prospect of Kylian Mbappe moving to the Santiago Bernabeu from Paris Saint Germain.

“The pressure was too much,” Vinicius said of his arrival in Spain. “I had never seen so much bet on such a young player. I don’t know what it was – maybe it was because I cost a lot of money.

“The club and the coaches knew my quality, however, and that over time I would gain more experience and confidence. I was always calm and never cared what they said about me. now I don’t think I’m the best player in the world, I only listen to the people at the club and those around me.

“All the players in the world want to play with Mbappe. He’s a great player, like Cristiano [Ronaldo] and [Lionel] Messi was. He represents the new generation, and he’s here to stay [at the top fo the European game] for many years.”

Mbappe, a year older than Vinicius, contributed 138 goals and 69 assists in 185 games for PSG, and played a crucial role when France won the 2018 World Cup in Russia. He has been Madrid’s number one target for some time now and his contract expires this summer.