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"Having Carlo Ancelotti as my manager gives me the greatest sense of calm," Vinícius Júnior said enthusiastically on the eve of the 2026 World Cup. "He gives me tremendous freedom and confidence."
Fortunately for the Real Madrid winger, following a sluggish start to the season, he will spend the coming weeks training under his preferred coach as Brazil embarks on a Western Hemisphere tour featuring three friendlies against Australia and India.
The first of those matches took place on Friday as the Seleção faced Australia in Queensland, with Vinícius Jr. named in an imposing starting lineup that also featured Estêvão, Endrick and Raphinha in attack.
However, it turned out to be a frustrating night for Vinícius Jr. and his teammates, who settled for a disappointing 1–1 draw and were rescued only by Rayan's 95th-minute equalizer with the last kick of the game.
Vinícius Jr. Falls Short on Brazil Return
This was far from a standout display from any of Brazil's star players, though it's no surprise that Vinícius Jr. faced particularly intense scrutiny given his below-par showings for Real Madrid so far this campaign.
While Jude Bellingham and Kylian Mbappé have been putting on dazzling displays in José Mourinho's attack, Vinícius Jr. has managed just one goal in his first eight appearances across La Liga and the Champions League.
His impact was once again minimal against Australia, and Ancelotti substituted him after just 65 minutes, bringing on Flamengo's Samuel Lino in his place.
Vinícius Jr. registered only 35 touches—a mere two more than goalkeeper Hugo Souza—with just four of those coming inside the Australian penalty area. Neither of his two shots on target posed a serious threat to the opposing goalkeeper, and he failed to complete a single dribble throughout his time on the pitch.
Out of possession, the story was equally familiar for the winger, who contributed nothing defensively. In contrast, fellow forwards Estêvão and Raphinha made three and two defensive contributions respectively.
Brazilian outlet ge were equally unimpressed with Vinícius Jr.'s display, awarding him a match rating of just 5/10. "He made relatively simple errors and offered very little," was their blunt assessment of an anonymous outing.
Yan Diomande Outshines Vinícius Jr. With Electric Performance
There was no such disappointment for Real Madrid's other pacey winger on Thursday, as Yan Diomande shone in Côte d'Ivoire's 2–0 win over Ghana in Africa Cup of Nations qualifying.
Although he has been deployed on the right wing since joining Madrid in the summer, the 19-year-old was shifted to the left flank for the Ghana fixture—a tactical call that proved highly effective for Les Éléphants.
Diomande created the joint-most chances (three), recorded the joint-most touches in the opposition box (eight) and topped the match for completed dribbles (seven), despite having no direct involvement in either of his side's goals.
The teenager's electrifying display offers a bright spot for Madridistas amid yet more disappointment surrounding Vinícius Jr.