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Vinicius Junior failed to fill Neymar's boots in Brazil's opening Copa America clash against Costa Rica, and fans let him know about it. He was subbed off in the 71st minute of a 0-0 stalemate and will not be happy with his display tonight (June 24).
The Real Madrid superstar was tipped to be Selecao's shining star in the United States this summer. The 2024 Ballon d'Or favorite was excellent at the Santiago Bernabeu, and his nation needed him to step up in their all-time top scorer's absence.
Vinicius, 23, struggled to impress against Costa Rica at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California. He was deployed up top but had little influence, failing to register a shot and winning just three of nine ground duels.
The 30-cap Brazil international was replaced by Endrick, which could be a regular occurrence in Madrid for years to come. He needs to show a vast improvement if Dorival Junior's men are to do well at Copa America.
Vinicius was a standout performer for Madrid last season, with 24 goals and 11 assists in 39 games across competitions. It's surprising he's struggled to replicate that form on international duty.
One fan reacted to his substitution by pointing out Neymar would have been kept on:
"Vini hooked when Brazil need a goal. This can never be Neymar."
Another fan said Dorival was right to bring him off:
"Vini has been horror, coach made the right decision."
More fans took aim at Vincius on X (formerly Twitter), with one claiming the Madrid star struggles for Selecao:
"Vini is so bad for Brazil lmaoo."
Another fan was disappointed with his first Copa America outing:
"Vini hooked ffs poor performance. Endrick subbed on tho."
One fan dismissed comparisons between Vinicius and Neymar:
"Yeah don't put Vini in the same sentence as Neymar again."
Another fan feels Vinicius is a different player for Los Blancos:
"Vini for Brazil is nothing compared to Vini for Real. Worlds apart."
Ex-MLS star Herculez Gomez rips into Neymar-less Brazil after Copa America draw
ESPN commentator Herculez Gomez gave a grim verdict of Brazil after their dull 0-0 draw with Costa Rica. He argued that it was the worst Selecao team he'd seen with a post on X (formerly Twitter):
"This may be the worst Brazil team I’ve seen in my lifetime...And they have Rodrygo, Vini Jr, Raphinha, & Endrick on this roster."
Brazil are without their talismanic forward Neymar, whose absence has proven how vital he is. The Al-Hilal forward is his nation's all-time top scorer, with 79 goals in 128 caps.
Selecao still have a squad strong enough to do well at Copa America in the United States. Vinicius, Rodrygo, Bruno Guimaraes, Alisson Becker, and Eder Militao are superstar talents.
