Vinicius Junior spoke with UEFA media ahead of the Champions League final against Borussia on June 1.
The Real Madrid star praised Carlo Ancelotti and spoke about his obsession with progression, one of the keys to his explosion since the Italian coach arrived at the helm.
“I’ve always had a desire to improve, but after coming here and being around great players, legends who continue to get better with every training session and always want to win, it started to rub off on me,” said the Brazilian.
“I do everything I can to improve, I learn a lot from the more experienced players because they’ve experienced much more than me. I always tell them that I prefer to listen rather than speak because it’s better for my development,” added the Real Madrid forward.
“In the future, I can do what Modric, Kroos, or Benzema have done for me. They have given me peace of mind and experience, and I can pass that on to the young players coming into the team,” said Vinicius, who acknowledges that Carlo Ancelotti has also played a key role in his career.
“Ancelotti has done everything for me, he has always given me confidence, he has reprimanded me when I needed it, and we have a very good relationship. He cares about me as much as I care about him,” said the Brazilian. “He has changed me as a player, not just on the field, but in my approach to training and progression. He always says that my humility is my greatest virtue because I always listen to others,” Vinicius explained.
“Every time I score a goal in a match, I always want my teammates to score too, so they are in a better position. I’m not motivated by the vanity of playing with the best players, the big stars. Every day teaches me a little more on and off the field,” he insists, before discussing the final against Dortmund.
“We obviously have to think about the next final, always focus on the next match. But after this final, I want to win another one, and another one. We have to be ready for this match, we have to prepare very well for such an important moment that will crown a brilliant season,” says Vinicius, who concludes by talking about one of his idols, Ronaldo Nazario.
“Ronaldo teaches me a lot and calls me whenever he can to give me advice. Like he told me his specialty was one-on-one with the goalkeeper, I started thinking about it and I’ve progressed a lot after that conversation. Now, whenever I have a one-on-one to play, I stay as calm as possible,” he points out.
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