Vinicius Jr Equals Ronaldinho’s La Liga Goal Record Amid Racism Row
- Vinícius Júnior has written his name into the history books with his latest goal for Real Madrid in La Liga
- The 25-year-old's strike caps a challenging week for the Brazilian, who recently endured alleged racial abuse
- Fans have since flooded social media with reactions to his new milestone, with some even drawing subtle comparisons
Vinicius Junior reached another personal milestone on February 21, but it came on a frustrating night as Real Madrid fell 2-1 to Osasuna in Pamplona.
The Brazilian forward struck in the second half to keep his side alive after Ante Budimir and Raul Garcia found the net for the hosts.
Source: Getty Images
Despite his effort, Madrid suffered their first La Liga defeat since Alvaro Arbeloa stepped in for Xabi Alonso as interim manager, tightening the title race at a crucial stage of the season.
Osasuna seized control before the break when Budimir converted from the penalty spot in the 38th minute.
Madrid thought they had drawn level shortly after halftime through Kylian Mbappe, only for the effort to be ruled out for offside. The visitors continued to press, searching for a breakthrough.
Vinicius Junior equals Ronaldinho's La Liga record
The defining moment arrived in the 73rd minute. Fede Valverde surged through midfield with purpose, slicing open the home defence before delivering a precise cross. Vinicius met it calmly and guided the ball home.
That finish carried historic weight. It marked his third straight match on the scoresheet and brought his La Liga tally to 70 goals. With that number, he matched the total achieved by Ronaldinho during his time in Spain’s top flight, per data culled from Transfermarkt.
The comparison, however, reveals a difference in pace. Ronaldinho reached 70 in 145 appearances, while Vinicius needed 230 outings to hit the same mark. Even so, the achievement underlines his growing influence in Madrid colours.
He had already moved past Neymar, who scored 68 league goals in 123 matches for Barcelona.
Yet the summit of the Brazilian scoring chart in Spain remains distant. Rivaldo produced 107 in 198 games, Waldo Machado registered 115 in 216, and Ronaldo Nazario leads with 117 in 164 appearances, per StatMuse.
Vini targets La Liga race amid racial abuse
While personal landmarks offer comfort, the bigger concern is the championship battle.
Before matchweek 25, Madrid sat top with 60 points, two ahead of Barcelona. This setback opens the door for their rivals to reclaim first place if they overcome Levante.
The defeat also followed a turbulent week. In midweek, Vinicius accused Benfica youngster Gianluca Prestianni of racial abuse during the first leg of their Champions League playoff tie, an allegation that led to a 10-minute stoppage and a UEFA investigation.
Prestianni denied the claim, stating he used a homophobic insult instead.
For now, Vinicius must turn his focus back to the pitch, where every point could define Madrid’s season.
Source: YEN.com.gh
