Brutal Attack on Vinicius.: “No One Wants a Player Like Him”

The first criticism of the season has already arrived for Vinicius Junior. The Brazilian’s performance in Real Madrid’s opening La Liga match has sparked plenty of frustration in Spain, with former Real Madrid goalkeeper Santi Cañizares delivering particularly harsh comments about the winger.

Vinicius Junior is already making headlines after Real Madrid’s first official match of the season. José Mourinho’s side secured a difficult 2-1 victory away to Espanyol, but the Brazilian international found himself at the center of several controversial moments during the encounter.

The 25-year-old struggled to make his usual impact in attack and became involved in a number of tense situations with both opposition players and supporters. Two incidents in particular generated debate after Vinicius was accused of going to ground too easily in an attempt to win decisions from the referee.

His attitude during the match did not impress Santi Cañizares. The former Real Madrid goalkeeper was extremely critical of the Brazilian and went as far as suggesting that Vinicius did not receive any serious offers during the summer transfer window.

“Nobody wants him”

Speaking about Vinicius’ situation, Cañizares claimed that Real Madrid faced a complicated decision regarding the winger’s future.

“There was a debate this summer,” he explained. “He had one year left on his contract and you either sell him or you don’t sell him. You have to compare what he gives you from a footballing point of view with what he makes you lose. Do you know what the problem was? Nobody wants him.”

Those comments were particularly strong considering Vinicius’ importance to Real Madrid in recent seasons. The Brazilian has regularly been one of the club’s most dangerous attacking players, but his behavior on the pitch has also attracted criticism from opponents, supporters and sections of the Spanish media.

According to Cañizares, Real Madrid’s decision to extend Vinicius’ contract until 2032 may therefore have been influenced by the lack of interest from other major European clubs.

“Nobody wants a player like that at their club,” the former goalkeeper continued. “And I think he didn’t receive a single offer. Real Madrid were forced and almost had no choice but to renew his contract because, most likely, no club contacted either him or his representative. Nobody wants a footballer with those characteristics.”

It was a brutal assessment from a former Real Madrid player, particularly so early in the new season.

Cañizares did, however, jokingly mention one club that could potentially be interested in signing the Brazilian.

💥 @santicanizares, muy contundente sobre la actitud de Vinicius en #TertulionPartidazo

❌ "Nadie quiere un jugar así en su club"

🤔 "Creo que no ha tenido ninguna oferta"

😳 "El Real Madrid ha estado en la obligación de renovarle"

📻 #PartidazoCOPE pic.twitter.com/63lO0WeHNc

— El Partidazo de COPE (@partidazocope) August 23, 2026

“Well, maybe a less important team could want him… Newcastle,” he said ironically. “With Vinicius, I elevate myself.”

The remark added another layer to what was already a very aggressive criticism of the Real Madrid star.

For Vinicius, the challenge will now be to respond on the pitch. Despite the controversy surrounding his performance against Espanyol, Real Madrid managed to secure all three points and begin their La Liga campaign with a victory.

However, expectations remain extremely high at the Santiago Bernabéu, particularly for one of the club’s biggest attacking stars. Vinicius knows that every performance, gesture and reaction will continue to be closely analyzed in Spain.

With the season only just beginning, the Brazilian is already under pressure to move the conversation away from controversy and back toward his football.