SportsVinicius junior rejects £160m offer to pursue Ballon d'Or at Real Madrid

Vinicius junior rejects £160m offer to pursue Ballon d'Or at Real Madrid

Vinicius Junior in the colours of the Brazil national team
Vinicius Junior in the colours of the Brazil national team
Images source: © Wikipedia | Tasnim News Agency
Sebastian Szczytkowski

13 August 2024 17:34

Vinicius Junior and other Real Madrid players will compete in the UEFA Super Cup this Wednesday. Recently, there has been considerable buzz about Brazilians rejecting an offer to play for a club in Saudi Arabia. Not long ago, he explained why he prefers to stay in Spain.

The Spanish daily "Relevo" reported that the offer amounted to £160 million in salary per year. Since Vinicius Junior was offered a five-year contract, he could have earned at least £800 million in Saudi Arabia. However, the Real Madrid star has a completely different plan for the upcoming seasons in his career.

The Saudis wanted Vinicius Junior to become an ambassador for the World Cup, which Saudi Arabia will host in 2034. However, the player does not intend to follow in the footsteps of Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema, or Neymar, who have joined clubs from the Persian Gulf.

I have never thought about leaving Spain, because that would be giving the racists what they want. I'm not going to leave the best club in the world. I'm going to remain firm and strong because the president and the club support me - quotes a recent statement from Vinicius Junior, among others, by the portal sportbible.com.

The media additionally reported that the Brazilian representative has a private and ambitious plan he wants to realise at Real Madrid. He wants to win the Ballon d'Or in the Royal Whites' colours.

Such distinction is easier to achieve as a Real Madrid player than at any club in Saudi Arabia. Real Madrid frequently wins the Champions League and is a strong contender for the Spanish championship year after year. To win the Ballon d'Or, Vinicius Junior also needs success in international football, which all of Brazil is waiting for.

Organising the World Cup in Saudi Arabia motivates the hosts to entice more world football stars with exorbitant sums. Their expansion in the football market is planned to last for the next decade.