Vinícius’ standing at Real Madrid begins to slip

Vinícius remains untouchable for José Mourinho, but the football that once made his standing unquestionable is no longer arriving with the same consistency. As the Brazilian searches for his best form, Arda Güler’s rise and Yan Diomande’s arrival have opened a debate that recently seemed impossible.

Real Madrid’s 1-0 defeat to Betis at La Cartuja brought that shift into focus. The original contest appeared to be for the right flank, where Güler faced competition from one of the summer’s major signings. Four matches into the season, that argument is already beginning to look outdated. Güler has answered it on the pitch.

At the Betis stadium, Güler again looked among Madrid’s most inspired players. Mourinho replaced him in the 63rd minute after he had been booked and nearly risked leaving the team with 10 men. Diomande came on. Vinícius, by contrast, stayed until the final whistle, including after Mourinho had used all his substitutions while seeking an equalizer.

The Brazilian did not produce an empty performance. He hit the post, put Kylian Mbappé through for a clear chance, delivered the cross that led to Carlos Espí’s spectacular disallowed bicycle kick, and won the stoppage-time penalty. But his performance lacked continuity. Héctor Bellerín contained him for long periods, and Vinícius again looked distant from the player who once needed only a few meters and a ball to turn a match upside down.

That is where a previously unthinkable competition is emerging. Mbappé retains unquestioned status, Jude Bellingham continues to justify his own, and Güler is becoming indispensable. Diomande still needs a place, but the route into the starting lineup no longer necessarily runs through Güler. It may now point toward Vinícius’ side, where the Brazilian still has enormous credit built over years, but increasingly needs fresh arguments.

Vinícius earned that status through seasons of decisive football. His 2023-24 campaign, capped by a goal in the Champions League final against Borussia Dortmund, elevated him into the group of players around whom a team is built. Since then, the arrival of Mbappé has inevitably shifted part of Madrid’s attacking weight toward the French forward, while Vinícius’ influence has gradually diminished.