'Him against the world' - how Vinicius Jr's fight goes beyond football

With Vinicius Jr, it remains clear to many of his supporters it is only ever going to be a matter of when, not if.

Having been tipped from the very start to reach the top of the world, the Real Madrid forward suffered a setback on Monday by finishing second behind Rodri in the Ballon d'Or - having been a clear favourite for most of the build up.

The decision certainly caused a stir with Real Madrid not sending representatives to the ceremony in protest against the award, and journalists and politicians in Brazil describing it as an 'injustice'.

The 24-year-old's response to not winning was posting on X: "I'll do it 10x if I have to. They're not ready."

And, before Real's Champions League match with AC Milan on Tuesday, Vinicius is ready to show this was merely a blip on his rise to the top of the world.

"He has an incredible courage, he always had,” Carlos Noval, a former Flamengo youth football co-ordinator who has known Vinicius since the age of 10, told BBC Sport.

"Along the way, you saw people watching him for the first time and realising right away he was built differently.

"I remember him playing in the Copa Votorantim, which is like the under-15 Brazilian championship, and absolutely killing it. It was like two, three goals each game. He was unstoppable.

"Then, at some point, a Manchester United scout sat by my side and said, 'I've never seen a 14-year-old boy do what he does - take great care of him off the pitch because on the pitch he's going far, very far'."

He has gone very far, but it has by no means been a smooth ride.

Even growing up in Sao Goncalo, a city outside Rio de Janeiro controlled by drug gangs and where you simply cannot move freely, did not prepare Vinicius for what he would face in Spain following his move in 2018 from Flamengo to Real Madrid, aged 18.

Since he became a key player in Real's team, La Liga has referred 21 racist incidents involving the superstar to local prosecutors, as a result of regular abuse from the stands, monkey chants and an effigy hung from a bridge being directed his way.

In June, three Valencia fans were sentenced to eight months in prison for hate crimes against Vinicius, in the first conviction for racism-related cases in Spanish football stadiums.

"I'm not a victim of racism. I'm the tormentor of racists," the 24-year-old posted on social media afterwards.

"May other racists be afraid, ashamed and hide in the shadows. Otherwise, I'll be here to get you."

'It was him against the world'

Vinicius Jr has played 35 times for Brazil

Despite being reduced to tears in a press conference as he admitted the toll the situation has had on him, Vinicius has not backed down in his mission and has become the leading black voice in challenging racism in football.

There was originally some concern within his staff regarding the impact it might have on his performances, but clearly it has not been in evidence on the pitch.

In 2023-24, Vinicius had the best goalscoring season of his career, finishing with 24 goals as well as nine assists in 39 matches for Real Madrid.

At 23 years and 325 days, he also broke Lionel Messi's record as the youngest player to score in multiple Champions League finals, leading the Spaniards to their 15th European title. He did the same in La Liga as well.

He has not slowed down this campaign, making his best start to a season with eight goals and five assists in 15 games for Real Madrid.

Once criticised for his lack of final product, those days are now long behind him.

Club legend and vice-president Emilio Butragueno even compared him to Pele after his hat-trick against Borussia Dortmund last week.

"I honestly didn't know Vinicius was so strong mentally," said former Newcastle United and Lyon defender Claudio Cacapa, who coached him in the Brazil Under-15 team.

"Because what he has faced is not easy; it's terrible. He now has the support of a lot of people, and that's great, but at the beginning it was him against the world, hearing that he was overreacting and being asked to forget about it.

"But he did not, showing how big he had become.

"To have gone through everything he has and still be able to showcase all his football, that’s remarkable."

Liverpool's close call with Vinicius

Vinicius' talent was never a secret to Europe's powerhouses.

Liverpool were among the first sides to seriously enquire about the forward in an attempt to head off competition for his signing.

"Do you think Flamengo would be willing to sell Vinicius now for 20m euros?" a scout from the club asked agent Frederico Pena in early 2017.

"I'd like to check this because I believe Flamengo will not want to negotiate any deal for him after the Under-17 South American Championship."

The Reds' representative was correct.

In the end, Vinicius guided Brazil to the title in Chile, returning home as the top scorer with seven goals and having been named the tournament's best player.

A couple of months later, Pena received another call, this time from Real Madrid. They were ready to pay Vinicius' 45m euros buyout clause and wait until he turned 18 to pack his things and be unveiled at Santiago Bernabeu.

'He deserves the world'

Never had that sum been splashed on a 16-year-old boy before, but it only highlighted how special the kid with the broad smile was.

It was not enough, though, to stop critics back home from rushing to say he would not live up to the expectations after his first minutes of professional football.

Rival fans and even some pundits called him 'Neguebinha' - a reference to Negueba, another Flamengo graduate who seemed destined for greatness but who currently plays in Thailand - while names such as Clarence Seedorf claimed he would not get any minutes at Real Madrid.

"There was a lot of hype around when Vinicius made his debut, so it took him a bit of time to adapt to this new challenge and show what we all expected - but he did it," Ze Ricardo, his first Flamengo coach in senior football, remembered.

Throughout his rise to the top, the number seven has always kept his famous smile, regardless of the situation.

It was like this at Flamengo. And it has not changed at Real Madrid.

"Vinicius is pure joy. Wherever he goes, he lights up the place," Cacapa said.

"We were having a camp in the United States with the Brazil Under-15 team and then one day he and some of his team-mates came to me and said they wanted to prepare a surprise for our dinner.

"I was like, 'sure, go ahead'. And so, during the dinner, they presented a kid with a mobile phone and also a pair of sneakers and clothes.

"It was a very emotional moment - everybody from the coaching staff was suddenly crying in the restaurant. The kid was the only member of the squad who didn't have a phone and was unable to communicate with his parents.

"Unlike other players, Vinicius already had a personal sponsorship deal, so he was able to make that happen for him. To see a boy of that age with such a big heart, he obviously deserves the world."

At 24, he certainly won't stop here because, deep down he knows, his fight goes way beyond football.