Real Madrid star Vinícius Júnior has expressed his desire to remain with the Spanish giants for "many more years," despite growing interest from Saudi Arabia's top flight.
The 24-year-old Brazilian forward, who recently celebrated scoring his 100th and 101st goals for Real Madrid in their commanding 5-1 Champions League victory over Salzburg on January 22, is now approaching a significant milestone. He stands just three goals shy of surpassing Brazilian legend Ronaldo Nazario's tally of 104 goals for the club.
Speaking to Real Madrid TV on Friday, Vinícius reflected on his achievement, stating, "It's very important for me to reach 100 goals and be a part of this club's history. At 24 years old, and after seven seasons, to be making history is something very important for me and my entire family."
The Brazil international, who will return to the Madrid squad for Saturday's fixture against Espanyol following a two-game LaLiga suspension, has garnered attention from the Saudi Pro League. Sources at ESPN report that Saudi representatives renewed their interest in December, following an initial approach last summer.
Vinícius acknowledged the influence of his predecessors, particularly Ronaldo Nazario and Cristiano Ronaldo, in shaping his development. "Only 23 players have scored 100 goals [for Real Madrid] and among them is one of my idols, Ronaldo Nazario, who has always given me a lot of advice on how to improve in front of goal, how to shoot better," he explained. The forward also praised Cristiano Ronaldo's remarkable achievement of 451 goals, noting that he had "seen almost all of them" and considers him an icon since childhood.
The Brazilian's impressive form this season has seen him net 17 goals across all competitions, contributing significantly to Real Madrid's current position at the top of LaLiga and their progression to the Champions League knockout phase playoffs. His outstanding performances have earned him recognition on the global stage, winning FIFA's The Best men's player for 2024 and securing the runner-up position in the 2024 men's Ballon d'Or.
