Vinícius Júnior has become the engine of Brazil’s World Cup hopes, scoring four of seven goals so far. The 26-year-old winger, mentored by Carlo Ancelotti, thrives in a counterattacking system that exploits his pace and clinical finishing. After years of being sidelined by Neymar’s playmaking style, Vini now operates as the team’s focal point, drifting into central zones to exploit gaps between defenders.

His 3.06 expected goals metric against Scotland—the highest in World Cup history—underscores his lethal efficiency. Yet, his rise is shadowed by relentless racism, including bizarre claims that his goal celebrations provoke abuse. Fifa’s new anti-racism rules, inspired by incidents like Gianluca Prestianni’s covered-mouth insult, now penalize such behavior, with Paraguay’s Almirón recently sent off for mimicking it.