In Brazil’s 1-1 draw with Venezuela during the 2026 World Cup qualifiers on Thursday, Vinícius Jr. had a challenging match. After earning a penalty in the second half, the Real Madrid forward missed his chance, failing to score past Venezuelan goalkeeper Rafael Romo. This missed opportunity sparked a wave of criticism from Brazilian fans and analysts.
While Vinícius Jr. shines for Real Madrid, his performances with the Brazilian national team have often been scrutinized. Against Venezuela, his inability to convert a crucial penalty after Raphinha’s stunning free-kick had opened the scoring led to widespread disappointment. Fans took to social media to express their frustration, with many questioning why Vinícius Jr. was the one to take the penalty instead of Raphinha, who had already proven his ability with the set-piece goal.
The criticism grew quickly, with some calling out Vinícius Jr. for lacking composure in decisive moments. “He’s repeatedly failed to deliver for Brazil,” one fan wrote. Some even suggested that his miss represented a worrying trend for a player expected to be the future of the Seleção.
However, amidst this criticism, an unexpected ally emerged: Kylian Mbappé. According to reports from *Defensa Central*, the French star reached out to his Real Madrid teammate, offering words of encouragement. “Now it’s time to raise your head and keep fighting, my brother,” Mbappé reportedly told Vinícius Jr.
This gesture from Mbappé stands out not only because of the friendship between the two, but also due to the competitive atmosphere at Real Madrid, where tensions between players can often surface. Despite earlier reports of a possible altercation between Mbappé and Vinícius Jr. during a recent La Liga match, this support highlights the mutual respect between the two.
As Brazil, currently third in the qualifiers with 17 points, looks ahead, they will need to quickly regroup. With a five-point gap to Argentina at the top, the Seleção must bounce back in their next match against Uruguay on November 19.
