Vinicius shines again

Vinicius Junior returned to form in the Brazil shirt, scoring two goals in the friendly match against Japan, but he could not save his country from defeat, losing 3-2 in their first friendly match held in Singapore.

The match saw the return of a smile to Vinicius Junior's face with his national team, after a difficult month he experienced with Real Madrid, especially following his absence in four matches in LaLiga due to suspension. The player also regained some of his usual attacking boldness, which had been lacking in recent weeks with the royal team.

During the period between the international breaks, Vinicius Junior participated for only 230 minutes with Real Madrid, spread over 20 minutes before his red card against Villarreal, 59 minutes against AS Roma, 70 minutes against Leipzig, and 81 minutes in the match against AEK Athens. The player also suffered a noticeable decline in his individual attempts, as he only attempted to dribble once during his last three matches in the UEFA Champions League, which was against AEK Athens without success.

Despite Vinicius Junior successfully dribbling past just one opponent during the match against Japan, he attempted to replicate the feat four more times, numbers that reflect his return to his usual attacking style, a level that José Mourinho is also expecting.

Vinicius Junior received widespread praise from the Brazilian press, who considered him one of the standout players of the national team despite the heavy defeat. Globo Esporte noted that he took responsibility and scored two stunning goals, while the Brazilian edition of Goal confirmed that the player once again proved his place among the best players in the world.

The Brazil national team will have a chance to correct its course on Tuesday when it faces Singapore at the same venue, while Vinicius Junior hopes to continue benefiting from working with Ancelotti and regain his best form under the Italian coach, a level that Mourinho is also looking forward to seeing in the Real Madrid shirt.