Vinicius Jr Reveals the Story Behind His Electrifying New Real Madrid Goal Celebration

Vinícius Júnior unveiled a fresh goal celebration following his strike against Mallorca, honoring professional padel athlete Juan Lebrón.

The packed Santiago Bernabéu erupted as Vinícius Júnior sealed Real Madrid's turnaround on Saturday evening, netting the decisive goal through exceptional individual brilliance in the 38th minute. The 2–1 triumph for Los Blancos preserved their flawless La Liga start under Xabi Alonso.

However, it wasn't solely Vinícius Júnior's strike that captured attention. Following the Brazilian's customary celebration and embrace with his colleagues, he dedicated additional moments to perform a fresh gesture that resembled swinging a racquet.

The meaning behind Vinícius Júnior's new celebration only became clear when he posted on social media following the fixture. The forward honored his goal to Spanish padel star Lebrón, a Real Madrid supporter who also counts as one of his friends.

"Un poco de padel en Bernabéu," Vinícius Júnior posted on Instagram, meaning, "A touch of padel at the Bernabéu."

Lebrón, who watched from the Santiago Bernabéu stands, replied, "El mejor," meaning, "The greatest."

Vinícius also earned commendation from Alonso following the fixture: "[Vinícius] played excellently. It was an improved performance compared to the Osasuna match and it was a crucial goal to give us the lead.

"I'm pleased with Vini's display. He's finding the net and that's vital."

The Brazil star faced criticism last campaign for his limited output in La Liga. Vinícius Júnior managed only 11 strikes in 30 league matches, frequently overshadowed by Kylian Mbappé, who claimed the Pichichi Trophy and European Golden Boot.

Across three La Liga matches under Alonso, however, Vinícius Júnior has already netted twice, plus one assist. The 25-year-old has been involved in three of Real Madrid's six strikes thus far, an encouraging sign following his disappointing 2024–25 season.