Vinicius Jr continues to be a cornerstone of the Real Madrid project. Now in his eighth season at the Santiago Bernabeu, the Brazilian winger recently invited Ibai Llanos to spend a day in his world. The Spanish streamer was granted an intimate look at Vinicius's personal life, the inner workings of the Real Madrid dressing room, and the player's high expectations for Carlo Ancelotti's tenure with the Brazil national team.

With a chuckle, the forward opened up about his self-appointed role as an unofficial scout in the pursuit of Kylian Mbappe: "Every summer I would message Mbappe asking, 'When are you coming?' I was essentially playing the role of an agent. I'd reach out on Instagram because we weren't close yet. He'd reply, but he was always non-committal. 'We'll see,' he'd tell me. But now, finally, we're here together."

The Frenchman wasn't the only Galactico on the Brazilian's radar. "I did the same with Jude Bellingham," explained the two-time Champions League winner. "I told him, 'You can't go anywhere else. You have to come to Real Madrid; it's the best club in the world.'"

Regarding his closest allies in the squad, Vinicius identified Mbappe, Mendy, and Camavinga as his inner circle: "We spend more time together than we do with our own families. It's vital to maintain that bond. It often depends on the stage of the season, or whether players are married or single…"

Mbappe Camavinga y Vinicius

He also spoke glowingly of former teammates Karim Benzema and Luka Modric. "Karim is my favourite. We had a telepathic understanding on the pitch. As for Luka, he possesses something special. I miss him dearly; he loved a joke but absolutely loathed losing," stated Real Madrid's number 7, who also admitted his one regret was never sharing a pitch with Cristiano Ronaldo.

As Real Madrid prepare for the first leg of their Champions League play-off against Benfica, Vinicius asserted that the squad is ready. He also expressed his profound admiration for former Real Madrid boss Jose Mourinho, noting that the Portuguese tactician "changed the club's history."

"We always have that belief that we can stage a comeback. Against Manchester City, we went into extra time knowing we would win. When Joselu scored against Bayern Munich, we didn't even need to look at the scoreboard. We knew the result was ours before the final whistle," the forward recounted, reflecting on the club's storied European nights at the Santiago Bernabeu.

Handling the haters and praising Ancelotti

Addressing the hostile atmospheres he often faces, the attacker insisted that on-pitch friction is simply part of the professional game: "What happens on the pitch stays there. I could be playing against my own brother and I'd still fight for the win. When I face Raphinha, I have to battle and defend my badge, but off the pitch, we're friends. It's the same with the fans. I understand why rivals boo me; I'm there to score against them. That's football. As long as it doesn't cross the line into insults, the jeers are just part of the spectacle."

"There is a beautiful side to it—the people who love me in Madrid and Brazil. But there's also the noise from the press or rival supporters. You have to listen to a bit of everything. You can't just focus on the praise, because the criticism helps you identify where to improve. I arrived here at 18, so I've learned an immense amount from my teammates. I'm calm about it all, even though the pressure is relentless. We always strive to be at our best," he added.

Turning his attention to the Brazil national team, Vinicius beamed when discussing Carlo Ancelotti: "He has completely transformed the national team's identity. We are playing better, we're happier, and more relaxed. For me, his arrival is the best thing that could have happened. He's like a grandfather figure to me. Whenever he calls, he tells me we're going to win the World Cup. He's even speaking Portuguese now; he's a remarkably fast learner."

Ancelotti

The Sao Goncalo native then named his frontrunners for the World Cup: "Portugal, Spain, France, and Argentina have the strongest squads. Spain, in particular, always play exceptional football and have so much technical quality."

Finally, Vinicius credited his elite physical condition to a strictly managed regime, noting that his "speed" makes him reliant on his nutritionist. Detailing his daily routine, the Brazilian concluded: "I train in the morning, have lunch with friends, take a two-hour siesta, and then hit the gym and physio. From 7 PM until midnight, I'm on the PlayStation with my mates playing Call of Duty and FIFA."

J. Bellingham

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