Brazil's prolific winger Vinicius Jr. has revealed that Le Selecao manager Tite and Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti often speak with each other.
Los Blancos have three representatives at the ongoing FIFA World Cup in Qatar. Aside from Vinicius Jr., the four-time World Champions also have Rodrygo and Eder Militao in their squad. Former Madrid man Casemiro is also a key member of the squad.
The former Flamengo winger recently hailed Ancelotti for his guidance and mentorship, saying (via ESPN):
"I talked with Ancelotti and he gave me a lot of advice to help me become a starter with Brazil. He gave me a lot of confidence. He always was tough with me when he needed to be. He is like a father to me."
He also highlighted similarities between the Real Madrid manager and Brazil coach Tite, saying:
"He is good not only with the technical aspects of the game, but also with how he deals with his players. I have been improving a lot and Ancelotti has helped me with that. He and [Brazil coach] Tite are very similar and they talk to each other a lot."
Vinicius has registered one goal and two assists in three appearances at the 2022 FIFA World Cup so far. He scored one and assisted another in their 4-1 win over South Korea in the Round of 16 clash on 5th December.
Vinicius Jr. on learning from Real Madrid teammate Luka Modric
Brazil are set to face Croatia in the quarter-finals of the FIFA World Cup on Friday, 9th December. This tie will see Vinicius Jr. face his Real Madrid teammate Luka Modric, who captains the Vatreni.
The 22-year-old rising star shared how the 2018 Ballon d'Or winner has helped him on and off the pitch, as he said:
"He is always teaching me things, on and off the field. He helps me every day, making sure I'm always improving. He is a reference to me, playing at a high level at 37 years old. That is something rare. I'm happy that I'll be playing against him, and let the best team win."
Vinicius joined Real Madrid from Flamengo in 2018 and had a rough couple of years, where he was often criticized for lacking an end product. However, he improved incredibly last season as he registered 22 goals and 20 assists in 52 games across competitions.
He has registered 10 goals and five assists in 21 games across competitions for Real Madrid this season.