Vinícius Junior achieved a significant milestone in his career with Real Madrid, playing his 300th match for the club. Against Real Betis, the Brazilian became the 45th player in the club’s history to reach this figure. At 24 years and 232 days old, he is the third-youngest player to achieve this feat, behind only two Real Madrid legends: Raúl González (23 years and 154 days) and Iker Casillas (24 years and 165 days).

Despite the impressive milestone, the day was not memorable for Vinícius or Real Madrid. The 2-1 defeat in LaLiga marked the team’s fourth league loss of the season under Carlo Ancelotti. The Brazilian forward struggled to shine, recording his least precise game of the season. With 20 lost possessions, he matched his lowest performance record, previously set in the Champions League loss against Borussia Dortmund.

The match against Real Betis did not leave a good impression for Vinícius, who struggled to connect with his attacking teammates, Rodrygo and Kylian Mbappé. He also failed to showcase his usual dribbling skills down the left wing, managing just one shot on target from outside the box. In terms of dribbles, he only got past his defender in four out of eleven attempts, according to BeSoccer data.

Frustration and dissatisfaction on the pitch

Despite his struggles, the Brazilian visibly expressed his frustration multiple times, engaging in discussions with his coach, Carlo Ancelotti. Vinícius appeared aware that his performance fell short of expectations, both individually and collectively, on a day that could have been more positive had the team secured a victory.

Regarding his overall record with Real Madrid, Vinícius has played 196 matches in LaLiga, 64 in the Champions League, 24 in the Copa del Rey, 10 in the Spanish Super Cup, 4 in the Club World Cup, and 2 in the UEFA Super Cup. Across these 300 appearances, he has scored 101 goals, making him the club’s ninth all-time top scorer, trailing only legends such as Cristiano Ronaldo, Alfredo Di Stéfano, and Karim Benzema.

Despite this underwhelming performance, Vinícius Junior’s future remains bright, and reaching 300 matches with Real Madrid stands as a testament to his growth and importance within the club.