From dribbling a ball in São Gonçalo, Brazil, to hoisting trophies for Real Madrid, Vinícius Jr.’s life looks like a Hollywood movie. But just like a film isn’t always lights, camera, action, it wasn’t easy for an 18-year-old kid to land in Spain and embrace a completely new world. The 24-year-old Real Madrid forward has been clinching every major championship since stepping onto the professional stage. While people are well aware of his victories on the field, many also want to know about his nationality, religion, and ethnicity. So, let’s dive into more details about Vinícius’ life beyond football.
Where is Vinicius Jr. from, and What is Vinicius Jr. Nationality?
Though he is playing international soccer in Spain, the Real Madrid superstar Vinicius Jr. is Brazilian by nationality. He was born on July 12, 2000, and was brought up in Brazil’s São Gonçalo area of Río de Janeiro. But as he was born on the land of one of the most popular games in the world, soccer, his prominent inclination in childhood was towards playing football. As a result of that, he joined ‘Clube de Regatas do Flamengo’ at the age of 10.
Then, after getting drenched in blood and sweat while excelling in soccer, Vinicius Jr. made a decision to be a part of Real Madrid. And guess what? At the age of just 18, he took a flight to Spain, landed in Madrid, and the rest is history. After working hard in the fields of Madrid, he earned himself a spot in the first team and was instrumental in Real Madrid’s league triumphs in 2021–22 and 2023–24, contributing key goals over the course of each campaign. Great, right? But this is not all, fans want to know. Impressed with his soccer skills, fans also want to know Vinicius Jr.’s ethnicity and religion.
What is Vinicius Jr. ethnicity?
As we know, since he was born and brought up, Vini Jr. had a dream to be a great soccer player. So, he followed that dream, but meanwhile, he lost many things he wanted to know. As Kobe Bryant once said, “When you want to become great at something and when you ‘become’ great, everything in between is gone.” Kobe was talking about how you lose things in your life while achieving a goal.
Just like that, Vinicius Jr. always wanted to know his roots, his ethnic background. So, as a result of that, in 2024, he did a DNA test and found out that his maternal lineage is connected to the Tikar people of Cameroon. This research helped Vini Jr. know his roots, and it added some value to his fight against racism. The Real Madrid star spoke against the racism he faced in an interview.
He faced a lot due to racism in Spain, he said, after coming to Spain in 2018. Vinicius Jr. said, “I play in Spain, where I suffered a lot and still suffer sometimes. But of course, it [suffering] is less with the help of all the clubs, of all the people who are doing everything possible to combat racism, like the CBF does.” Vinicius Jr.’s social work and fight against racism have received global recognition. It also earned him the Socrates Award.
What is Vinicius Jr.’s religion?
To talk about Vinicius Jr.’s religious background, he is a Roman Catholic. According to many sources, Vinicius is a man who leads his life guided by religious belief, with utmost faith in God. He is also involved in a lot of philanthropic work, which is nothing but a byproduct of his deep-rooted values, offering a helping hand to those in need.
Credit: Instagram.com/Vinicius Jr.
According to many sources on the Internet, Vinicius Jr. runs a charitable institute in Rio, Brazil. The name of the institute goes like ‘Instituto Vini Jr.’. Vini Jr.’s unique efforts to put religion and sports together are reflected in this work. ‘Instituto Vini Jr.’ aims to use technology and sport to educate young Brazilians and, ultimately, alleviate some of the education-related inequality in the country.
Vinícius Jr. is thriving in his personal life just like he does on the field. He scored championship-winning goals in 2022 and 2024. Off the pitch, he gives back through philanthropy. His faith in God guides his actions. Helping others is a big part of who he is.
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