Vinícius José Paixão de Oliveira Júnior, commonly known as Vinícius Júnior or Vini Jr., is a Brazilian professional footballer who plays as a forward for La Liga club Real Madrid and the Brazil national team. Considered one of the best players in the world, he is known for his pace, technique and dribbling ability. Born in São Gonçalo, Vinícius began his professional career at Flamengo, where he made his senior debut in 2017, at age 16.