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Vinicius Jr has equaled an incredible record previously held by Lionel Messi after scoring for Real Madrid in the UEFA Champions League final against Borussia Dortmund. Los Blancos bagged a 2-0 win against the Bundesliga side on June 1, 2024, at Wembley Stadium.
After a goalless first half, Real Madrid opened the scoring in the 74th minute. A stunning header from defender Dani Carvajal from an excellent corner taken by Toni Kroos gave them the lead.
Just nine minutes later, Vinicius Junior netted the second goal from an assist by English midfielder Jude Bellingham. Dortmund forward Niclas Füllkrug scored a goal in the 87th minute, but it was ruled out for offside.
The 23-year-old Brazilian forward has now directly contributed to 22 goals in the knockout stages of the Champions League before turning 24, with 11 goals and 11 assists. The only other player in history to have achieved this feat in the Champions League is Argentine icon Lionel Messi.
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Vinicius Junior, who has already claimed the La Liga title and the Supercopa de España this season, lifted his second Champions League trophy with Real Madrid since joining the Spanish club's A team in 2018. He has scored 24 goals and provided 11 assists for Los Blancos this season.
Gareth Bale believes emulating Lionel Messi will help Jude Bellingham beat Vinicius Jr in 2024 Ballon d'Or race
Former Real Madrid star Gareth Bale has claimed that Jude Bellingham needs to emulate Lionel Messi to beat Los Blancos teammate Vinicius Junior to the 2024 Ballon d'Or award.
The English midfielder, who arrived at the Santiago Bernabéu from Borussia Dortmund in the summer of 2023, has scored 23 goals and provided 13 assists in 42 appearances for the Spanish club this season. He won the UEFA Champions League, La Liga, and Supercopa de España in his first season with Madrid.
During an interaction with PA Media, Bale was asked if Bellingham is a suitable candidate for the Ballon d'Or award in 2024. The 34-year-old Welshman said (h/t GOAL):
"Of course. Having a major international tournament [UEFA European Championsip] is going to play a big part in winning that trophy. The Copa America will be on as well, so I guess there's a lot to play for [between Bellingham and Vinicius] because to win the Ballon d'Or award... you need to win team trophies."
Citing Lionel Messi's Ballon d'Or win last year as an example, Bale said:
"If there's an international tournament, you have to provide on that stage as well... like Messi did a couple of years ago [at the 2022 FIFA World Cup]. Obviously, there's a lot to prove, but [Bellingham] has done a lot of the hard work already."
Vinicius Junior, who lifted his second Champions League trophy with Los Blancos, has scored 24 goals and provided 11 assists for the club this season. He is expected to be Bellingham's main rival for the prestigious individual award.
