"Real Madrid was my destiny" - Vinicius Jr explains why he rejected move to arch-rivals Barcelona 

Real Madrid winger Vinicius Jr. is a player who has the world at his feet. At just 21 years of age, the Brazilian has amassed over 150 senior appearances. He is the first player aged 21 or less to do so.

As the youngster enjoys his time with Los Blancos, he revealed in an interview the reason for him choosing Real Madrid over Barcelona. The Brazilian star explained that, in his mind, ending up at his current side was part of his destiny.

He sat down with MadridistaReal to reflect on his time at the Santiago Bernabeu. To a specific question about why he snubbed Barcelona for Real, the 21-year-old said:

"There wasn't much to do to convince me. It was always very clear to me that Real Madrid was my destiny."

en Vinicius joined Real Madrid in 2018, he was just 18 years old. The likes of Karim Benzema, Gareth Bale, and Cristiano Ronaldo, whom he describes as his idol, were all ahead of the young Selecao forward.

It was therefore decided that the Brazilian would spend some time with Real Madrid B before being eased into the first team. He made five appearances for Castilla and made his senior debut as a substitute in a 0-0 draw against Atletico Madrid on September 29, 2018.

However, before the Brazilian signed a contract with the 13-time UEFA Champions League winners, Barcelona had also been linked with the winger.

But Vinicius ended up in Madrid for a rumored fee of about €46 million, becoming the second most expensive teenager, behind only Neymar, whose transfer from Santos cost Barcelona €57.1 million in 2013.

Vini Jr., however, might not have made such a massive impact were it not for his international compatriots Marcelo and Casemiro. They took the youngster under their wings, helping him settle quickly at one of the world's biggest clubs.

He had this to say when quizzed on whether the Brazilian duo helped make the transition from Santos to Madrid much easier. He told the Spanish publication:

"Very, very much. They have an impressive human quality and they did not stop giving me advice at any time. In fact, they keep giving me advice and that's why I feel like a privileged boy. I thank God for having found me such good people."

The youngster continued:

" Everything was much easier with them. They were very good to me. I was very young and everything was new and gigantic for me. Only those who have been through the same as me know what I'm talking about."

With Vini Jr. firing on all cylinders, Real Madrid are at the top of the leader board with 63 points after 27 games.

Meanwhile, former suitors Barcelona are third with 48 points, although it could have been a different story had the Brazilian chosen to sign for the Catalonians instead.

How does Vinicius' stats compare with other young football stars?

Vinicius Jr. holds off Sergino Dest and Sergio Busquets of FC Barcelona

In the 2021-2022 season, Vinicius Jr. has 13 goals and six assists in 25 La Liga appearances. He has also weighed in with two goals in seven games in the Champions League.

In Comparison, PSG star Kylian Mbappe has 14 goals and 10 assists from 24 games in Ligue 1. The Frenchman has played seven games in the UCL and scored five goals.

It should, however, be noted that Mbappe is two years older than Vinicius.

Borussia Dortmund striker Erling Haaland has played 14 Bundesliga games, scoring 16 times and making five assists. Additionally, he has four goals in two games in the DFB-Pokal.

Another rising star, 22-year-old Juventus striker Dusan Vlahovic has 20 goals and two assists in 26 appearances in Serie A. He also has a single goal from his only appearance in the UCL.

Other top youngsters, such as Bayer Leverkusen's Florian Wirtz and Arsenal duo Bukayo Saka and Emile Smith Role have 17, 13, and 11 goals respectively.