Vinícius Júnior said on Monday that he plans to agree a contract extension at Real Madrid “at the right time” and wants to be at the club “for many years” ahead of this week’s high-profile Champions League quarterfinal first leg with Bayern Munich.
The star forward has been in exceptional form in recent weeks, scoring four goals in two games against Manchester City and Atlético Madrid before the international break.
The Brazil international’s current deal at the Bernabéu is due to expire in June 2027, and his future has been questioned after a turbulent season which has seen him fall out with coach Xabi Alonso — since succeeded by Álvaro Arbeloa — and go three months without scoring a goal, before an upturn in recent months.
“Let’s hope I can stay here for a long time,” Vinícius said in a news conference on Monday, when asked about his contract situation. “I still have a year left, we’re calm. I have the confidence of the president [Florentino Pérez], and we’re calm about what we want.
“At the right time we’ll do the renewal, and I’ll be here a long time. It’s the club of my dreams, I’m happy here, and I want to be here for many years.”
Vinícius has been a decisive player for Madrid, scoring in two Champions League final victories in 2022 and 2024, and being voted runner-up in the Men’s 2024 Ballon d’Or.
However he lost his status as a certain starter under Alonso in the first half of this season and was whistled by fans at the Bernabéu after the coach was dismissed, with ESPN reporting that Vinícius was one of the senior players who had been unhappy with Alonso’s management style.
“It was a difficult moment,” Vinícius said on Monday. “We played a lot of games, but I got few minutes. Each coach has his methods, I couldn’t connect with what [Alonso] wanted. It was a moment for learning, I learnt a lot, the players helped me a lot. I could reflect a lot, improve as a person, and I have a fantastic connection with Arbeloa.”
Vinícius faced widespread criticism after reacting angrily to being substituted by Alonso in October’s Clásico win over Barcelona at the Bernabéu, and subsequently made a public apology which did not mention the coach by name.
“It was a moment that wasn’t nice,” Vinícius said on Monday. “I apologised to the team, the club, the coach, everyone there. I play every game and I didn’t want to go off. I thought I was doing the right thing, I didn’t want to [leave the field], but later with a cool head, you know you made a mistake. Every day there’s a new experience, where I can improve.”
