Vinicius Junior Surges Past Kaka, Now Just Steps Away from Breaking Brazil Legend's Historic Record

Real Madrid's attacking midfielder Vinicius Junior enhanced his Champions League scoring record on Tuesday evening, establishing himself as the second-highest goal-scoring Brazilian in the tournament's history.

The 25-year-old entered the opening leg of Los Blancos' knockout stage playoff match against Benfica having netted 30 career goals in the Champions League, surpassing nearly every Brazilian who has competed in Europe's top club tournament except for Neymar and Kaká.

Vinicius Jr was tied with the former Real Madrid playmaker in the record books, but he quickly claimed exclusive ownership of second position with a spectacular strike that delivered his team a 1–0 triumph over José Mourinho's squad. The exceptional quality of the goal was tainted by Benfica winger Gianluca Prestianni's reported racist comments directed at the No. 7, a disgraceful incident that transformed a joyous moment into something disturbing.

The controversy does not diminish Vinicius Jr's achievement, however, a reality demonstrated by his individual Champions League statistics compared to the Brazilian legends who preceded him.

Highest Scoring Brazilians in Champions League History

Highest Scoring Brazilians in Champions League History

Neymar remains the Brazilian with the most Champions League strikes in history. The Barcelona icon netted 43 goals during his spells with the Catalans and later Paris Saint-Germain, becoming the sole Brazilian to exceed the 40-goal milestone on Europe's grandest platform.

Vinicius Jr follows in the scoring rankings with 31 Champions League strikes to his credit. As one of only a handful of active players in the top 10, the attacker has the chance to eventually match his hero in years to come.

Real Madrid colleague Rodrygo also enters the top five with 26 goals in the tournament, matching Arsenal forward Gabriel Jesus. Just two additional goals for either player would elevate them above Rivaldo in the Champions League record books.

The two attackers are also close to reaching Kaká's total of 30 goals in third position, though they both would require more regular playing time in the Champions League to mount a genuine challenge up the standings.

Vinicius Jr Chasing Champions League Greatness

Vinicius Jr Chasing Champions League Greatness

Vinicius Jr may be the second-highest scoring Brazilian in Champions League history, but he still faces a considerable journey before reaching the level of the tournament's all-time leading scorers. The former Flamengo star's 31 goals presently place him 27th among the greatest marksmen to ever compete in European football.

Even scoring 10 additional goals would only advance Vinicius Jr to 22nd position, matching Manchester City icon Sergio Agüero. To enter the top 10, the No. 7 must net at least 50 goals, the figure Thierry Henry achieved during his time at Arsenal and Barcelona.

With Kylian Mbappé, who ranks sixth all-time with 68 Champions League goals, now playing beside him, the prospect of Vinicius Jr rapidly ascending the scoring rankings appears quite unlikely. This campaign alone, the Brazil star has only scored twice in his preferred tournament, while the French striker has tallied 13 goals thus far.

Nevertheless, even if he never attains the level of Mbappé or his inspiration Cristiano Ronaldo, Vinicius Jr can rest easy knowing he is the youngest player in the tournament's history to score in two Champions League finals, both of which assisted Real Madrid in claiming the most coveted prize in club football.