Umtiti Pities Vinicius: 'He No Longer Strikes Fear' After Ballon d'Or Snub
Former Barcelona defender Samuel Umtiti says he feels sorry for Vinicius Junior, telling Cadena SER the Real Madrid winger has lost the confidence and attacking threat that once made him a nightmare for defenders. "In the past, when he received the ball, you knew he would pose a threat. Now, he no longer has that," Umtiti said during analysis of Madrid's match against AEK Athens.
The Frenchman points to Vinicius' failure to win the 2024 Ballon d'Or as a turning point. Since that snub, Umtiti argues, the Brazilian's level has dropped across three seasons — frequent turnovers, less sharpness in front of goal, and a visible lack of the swagger that defined his peak years. "He loses the ball a lot, and he no longer strikes fear into opponents," Umtiti added.
The comments highlight a tactical headache for Real Madrid. Umtiti questions whether the club should enforce genuine competition for places or maintain a hierarchy that guarantees Vinicius the left wing — a setup that forces Diomande to the right flank where he struggles. "Either we move into a system of clear competition between the players, and the best plays, or there is a hierarchy that forces Vinicius to keep playing on the left wing for now."
Madrid are still winning, but Vinicius isn't performing at that level in La Liga or the Champions League. For Nigerian fans tracking the Ballon d'Or race and European football's shifting power dynamics, the question remains: can Vinicius rediscover the form that made him a global superstar, or has the confidence fracture run too deep?