"I didn't think he'd be that great" - Real Madrid superstar opens up on his first impression about teammate Vinicius Jr

Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois has revealed that he knew that Vinicius Junior would be a good attacker. However, he did not believe that the Brazilian would become a highly rated and world-class forward.

In an interview with FIVEUK, Courtois shared his thoughts about Vinicius. He also spoke about what Eden Hazard told him about the Brazilian. He said (via Madrid Xtra):

“I knew Vini Jr was going to be good before, but I didn’t think he’d be that great. The only guy who told me: ‘You’ll see in a few years’ was Eden Hazard. He told me straight away when he saw him. He felt that he had something special.”

In recent years, Vinicius has proven to be a key player in attack for Los Blancos. Best known for his attacking proficiency and ability to take on and dribble past defenders in attack, the Brazilian is an outstanding left-winger.

Last season, the Brazilian played an integral role as Real Madrid won the 2023-24 UEFA Champions League and the LaLiga title among others. He scored 25 goals and provided 12 assists in 40 games in the 2023-24 season. His outstanding performance didn't go unnoticed as he emerged as the first runner-up in the 2024 Ballon d'Or race.

The Brazilian has maintained his fine form this season as he has once again proven to be an important player for Carlo Ancelotti in attack. In 31 games, Vinicius has scored 16 goals and registered 12 assists for Los Blancos this season.

When former Real Madrid forward Cristiano Ronaldo spoke about Vinicius' 2024 Ballon d'Or snub

CA Osasuna v Real Madrid CF - La Liga EA Sports - Source: Getty

Cristiano Ronaldo felt that Vinicius deserved the 2024 Ballon d'Or. His comments come after Manchester City midfielder Rodri emerged as the winner of the prestigious award.

Speaking at the 2024 Globe Soccer Awards, Ronaldo shared his opinion about the 2024 Ballon d'Or. He said (via GOAL):

"In my opinion, he [Vinicius] deserved to win the Golden Ball [Ballon d'Or award]. It was unfair in my opinion. I say here in front of everybody. They give it to Rodri, he deserved it too, but they should have given it to Vinicius because he won the Champions League and scored in the final.”

Ronaldo has won the Ballon d'Or five times, and his most recent was in 2017 while at Madrid.