Only Kane scored more 

©TM/IMAGO

There’s never a quiet day at Real Madrid and while the headlines have been dominated by Kylian Mbappé’s alleged strained relationship with his teammates, Vinicius Junior’s recent revival has slipped under the radar. There was significant tension between the Brazilian and Xabi Alonso during the Spaniard’s ill-fated tenure at Los Blancos and his form was significantly below his world-class status. Vinicius’ downturn in form arrived during a turbulent period when there was constant speculation over his long-term future at Madrid.

The 25-year-old’s contract expires in 2027 and his representatives have been locked in discussions with Madrid chiefs for twelve months without a breakthrough. It’s widely reported that Vinicius wants parity with Mbappé’s salary, which Madrid have been unwilling to sanction to further add to dressing room tensions. Vinicius’ delicate contract predicament remains ongoing and it will need to be resolved this summer before entering his final twelve months but his upturn in form in 2026 under Álvaro Arbeloa has arrived at the perfect time to allow him more bargaining power in his contract negotiations.

Vinicius Junior’s stunning form in 2026

Vini Jr netted a brace in Madrid’s 2-0 win over Espanyol on the weekend, which temporarily prevented Barcelona being crowned as champions – Hansi Flick’s men will win the LaLiga title with a draw in El Clasico on Sunday. It was a landmark goal for the Brazilian as it took his tally for the season in all competitions to 21 and he’s now hit the 20-goal milestone in five consecutive seasons. Only seven other players in Madrid’s illustrious history have matched that achievement, including Cristiano Ronaldo, Alfredo Di Stefano, Raúl and Karim Benzema.

And as the graphic above illustrates, only Harry Kane has scored more goals in 2026 than the Madrid attacker. Vini has registered an incredibly impressive 16 goals in 26 games in the calendar year, which is more than Ousmane Dembélé, Lamine Yamal and Luis Díaz. Only one of Vini’s goals in 2026 arrived when Alonso was in charge, with 15 under the stewardship of Arbeola. Interestingly when assists are included, Vini is averaging 0.91 goal contributions per 90 under Arbeloa compared to 0/62 g/a per90 under Alonso. His marked improvement is undeniable but what has been the secret and what does that bode for his future. We spoke to Ivan Fuente, Transfermarkt’s LaLiga expert.

The view from Spain on Vinicius Jr

“Vini is a player who needs to feel important to perform at a high level,” Fuente said. “After a poor start to the season and his under performance with Alonso, it seems that Arbeloa’s support has helped him raise his level. Furthermore, he has always been an inconsistent player, alternating between standout performances and months of poorer form.”

He added: “His contract expires in 2027, and if they can’t reach an agreement to renew it, this summer is the ideal time to sell him. In recent days, apparently people close to him have hinted that he’s sometimes unsure whether to stay or not. Furthermore, his relationship with Mbappé doesn’t seem entirely smooth.”