Becoming a legend of the game has become quite easy these days thanks to the introduction of statistics.
Players who grew up during the “eye test” era, where footballers were judged based on their ability despite the number of titles they won, number of blocks or saves they made or the number of goals they scored, will feel slighted that those numbers could have seen them reach club legend heights today.
It is not easy, however, to rack up numbers without being a good enough player. Football is a low scoring game in every area so players who can successfully set passing records, make the most saves and blocks, score the most goals and so on must be special.
Then there are players like Vinicius Junior who are making a case to be modern legends without the numbers.
Since joining Real Madrid from Flamengo in 2018, the Brazilian has fought to earn his place in the team. Revered for his skill and talent, the 22-year-old found it difficult to produce the numbers that the team needed for their goals. However, he was very important to their game play that he kept his shirt.
He finally came into his own in the 2021/22 season and has drastically improved in the ongoing 2022/23 season. With much better numbers and an undeniable ability that satisfies the eye-test loyalists, he has shown that he can be important to Los Blancos for years to come.
He showed this with his most recent performance for Madrid against Chelsea in their UEFA Champions League quarter final first leg in front of the fans. He didn’t get on the scoresheet, but he was rewarded with the man of the match award for his performance which helped Madrid beat their opponents 2 – 0 and give them a leg up in the semi-final race.
Following the performance and the award, the 22-year-old stated that he would like to remain at Madrid forever. “I’d love to stay at Real Madrid forever. This is the best club in the world. To play in the Champions League is something special,” the Flamengo youth graduate told Spanish media.
He is already a key asset for Los Blancos and the club is leaning towards keeping him. Should he stay as long as Cristiano Ronaldo, one of his Idols, did, he could easily attain the legendary status that many so crave, even with his low numbers.
