Vinicius Junior rejects $1.35 billion offer, stays loyal to Real Madrid
This Wednesday, Vinicius Junior and other Real Madrid players will compete in Warsaw for the UEFA Super Cup. Recently, there has been significant buzz about the Brazilian rejecting an offer to play for a club in Saudi Arabia. Not long ago, he explained why he prefers to stay in Spain.
The Spanish daily "Relevo" reported that the offer amounted to $270 million CAD in salary per year. Given that Vinicius Junior was offered a five-year contract, he could have earned at least $1.35 billion CAD in Saudi Arabia. However, the Real Madrid star has a completely different plan for the upcoming seasons in his career.
The Saudis wanted Vinicius Junior to become an ambassador for the World Cup, which Saudi Arabia will host in 2034. However, the player does not intend to follow in the footsteps of Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema, or Neymar, who have joined clubs from the Persian Gulf.
I never thought about leaving Spain. Otherwise, I would be giving the racists what they want. They are a minority in the football world. I will continue to play in the best club in the world, score many goals, and make the fans happy — quotes a recent statement from Vinicius Junior, among others, by the portal sportbible.com.
Media additionally report that the Brazilian representative has a private and ambitious plan that he wants to realize at Real Madrid. He wants to win the Ballon d'Or in the Royal Whites' colours.
Such a distinction is easier to achieve as a Real Madrid player than at any club in Saudi Arabia. Real Madrid frequently wins the Champions League and is a strong contender for the Spanish championship year after year. To win the Ballon d'Or, Vinicius Junior also needs success in international football, which all of Brazil is waiting for.
Organizing the World Cup in Saudi Arabia remains a motivation for the hosts to entice more stars of world football with exorbitant sums. Their expansion in the football market is planned to last for the next decade.
