Even in today’s petrodollar-guzzling, post-Neymar-to-PSG transfer market, €46 million can still get you quite a lot of footballer, if invested wisely. Last summer, for example, Bernardo Silva went to Manchester City for around that sum. Davinson Sanchez, one of the signings of the Premier League season, arrived at Tottenham for a similar price.
In January, you could have had one Olivier Giroud, a Sandro Wagner and a whole Yerry Mina and still been left with enough change for a couple of packets of World Cup album stickers. It is a stupendous amount, then, to spend on a 16-year-old who has played just eight minutes of first-team football. That, however, is exactly what Real Madrid decided to do when they signed Vinicius Jr. from Brazilian giants Flamengo in May 2017. Those eight minutes had come 10 days before his signing was announced, in a league game against Atletico Mineiro. The Flamengo fans had been calling for Vinicius Jr.’s introduction since the start of the second half. But when manager Ze Ricardo finally decided to put him into the thick of it, he failed to make a mark. The debutant miscontrolled the first pass he received, put a cross two metres over the head of his centre-forward and gave the ball away a couple of times before the referee put the whistle to his lips for the final time. As he found out that evening, it is an immense step up from the academy teams to the professional ranks. It was his performances at the age-group level, however, that convinced Real to take such a big gamble. Vinicius Jr., who grew up in Sao Goncalo, one of the roughest areas of Rio de Janeiro state, excelled in the Flamengo youth teams, often playing a year or two ahead of his actual age. Then, in January 2017, during the Copa Sao Paulo de Futebol Junior, the Flamengo winger came to the attention of the nation. The Copinha, as the U20 tournament is affectionately known, is a showcase for the finest talent in Brazil and has been the stage for players like Kaka, Neymar and Gabriel Jesus to launch their careers. Vinicius put in some scintillating displays, including one against Cruzeiro which I was lucky enough to watch from the terraces. There were thousands of Flamenguistas in attendance and they knew they were witnessing a special player. Every time he received the ball the crowd held its breath in anticipation, and at the end of the game fans flocked to him, begging for selfies. Those exhibitions of skill, ability and blistering speed earned him a place in the squad for the South American U17 Championship and it was there that he proved beyond doubt that he was Brazilian football’s hottest prospect. Seven goals in nine games made him the competition’s top scorer, earned him the award for the best player and sent Europe’s top clubs into overdrive in the race for his signature. Last time this happened to the same extent was for Neymar, and on that occasion Real Madrid lost out to bitter rivals Barcelona. They would not let that happen again. In came the astronomical offer and Vinicius Jr.’s future was written.