Real Madrid star Vinicius Jr has been making use of his summer break in a way most footballers do: relaxing, posting on Instagram and, apparently, fitting in a little facial fine-tuning before pre-season calls him back.
The Brazilian winger is currently on holiday after a disappointing World Cup campaign, in which Brazil were knocked out in the last 16 by Norway. For a squad packed with expectation, it was not exactly the samba summer supporters had imagined. Erling Haaland and Norway had other ideas, which is inconvenient if you happen to be Brazil.
Vinicius is due back at Valdebebas later this month, but before returning to Real Madrid duties, he reportedly underwent a cosmetic procedure to reshape and enhance his chin.
According to Brazilian outlet LeoDias, the treatment took place in Goiânia and was carried out by dermatologist Alessandro Alarcão, a highly regarded specialist who travelled from Miami to attend personally to Vinicius and his partner, Virginia Fonseca.
The report claims the clinic closed to the public for the day so that the Real Madrid player could be treated privately. A special security protocol was also said to have been put in place to prevent photographs or videos from leaking. In the age of smartphones, that is less a precaution and more a survival strategy.
The aim of the procedure was reportedly to improve and project the chin, giving greater balance to his facial features. Whether that helps with dribbling past defenders remains to be seen, although in modern football every marginal gain counts.
The new look quickly attracted attention on X, formerly Twitter, where users wasted little time doing what social media does best. One joked: “Vinicius Jr. has become Vinicius Sr.”
Alarcão later praised the Real Madrid player, describing it as a pleasure to welcome him to the clinic and calling him not only one of world football’s great talents, but also simple, courteous and full of contagious energy.
For now, Vinicius can enjoy the rest of his break with a fresh look and, presumably, a slightly sharper profile. Real Madrid fans will be more interested in whether he returns with a sharper finish.
