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José Mourinho is still waiting for Vinícius Júnior to hit his "top level" and contribute more goals after a somewhat subdued start to the campaign.
The Brazilian has netted just once—the third goal in a 4–1 victory against Real Sociedad—and has three assists to his name so far in 2026–27, proving less central to Real Madrid's attack than Kylian Mbappé and Jude Bellingham in the early phase of Mourinho's tenure.
The winger, who finally put pen to paper on a contract extension this summer, has drawn criticism from supporters and the press over his recent showings, even being met with jeers and whistles during the recent Champions League victory against Inter Milan.
Speaking at his pre-match press conference before Tuesday's away fixture against 19th-placed Elche, Mourinho acknowledged Vinícius Jr's overall contribution but indicated he wants to see more of the game-changing individual brilliance that has long defined his style of play.
"His best performance is scoring goals," Mourinho told the media. "Providing assists is important, working for the team is very important, the daily work is important and he does it very well. But there's another Vinícius. A Vinícius who arrived at Benfica last year and who gets one chance, scores a goal, and goes home. He's lacking this top-level performance."
What's Going on With Vinícius Jr?
Vinícius Jr has been a constant fixture for Mourinho on the left flank in the manager's favoured 4-2-3-1 formation, yet has frequently looked more isolated and less impactful in his position.
Arguably his standout performance of the season came in the loss to Real Betis, where he would have registered an assist had Carlos Espí's late effort not been disallowed for offside. He also earned the penalty that Mbappé subsequently missed in that same match.
His performances in 2026–27 have been far from terrible, but the Madrid faithful are notoriously demanding.
Mourinho is widely known for his candid management approach, which often blends tough love with occasional direct criticism. How that style fits within the intricate dynamics and sensitivities of the Real Madrid dressing room is yet to be determined. Nevertheless, when it comes to Vinícius Jr, the 63-year-old boss has—thus far—stood firmly in his player's corner against the supporters.
After Vinícius bore the brunt of the Bernabéu's frustration during the 2–1 Champions League win over Inter Milan, Mourinho told reporters: "In Portuguese, we have a proverb that says we only throw stones at the trees that bear fruit.
"So what Vini has done here over recent years. How many Champions Leagues has he won, how many goals has he scored, how many balls has he won? His achievements speak for themselves so he is the tree that has a lot of fruit on it and people want to get a piece of Vini.
"In this digital era where we have access to so many statistics, we can see that he is very close to reaching his best version. He's already broken some records. The stats and numbers he puts up suggest we will see his best version very soon."