Real Madrid forward Vinícius Jr has called for greater protection for attacking players, naming himself, Barcelona youngster Lamine Yamal and Atlético Madrid striker Julián Álvarez as footballers who deserve better treatment from referees.
The Brazilian expressed frustration over what he considers inconsistent officiating, claiming that opponents repeatedly foul him while he is often the one punished with a booking.
“I feel like defenders can always kick me, yet I am the one who gets booked,” Vinícius said, according to football transfer expert Fabrizio Romano in a post on X on Thursday.
The Madrid forward stressed that referees should pay particular attention to players capable of influencing matches, arguing that he, Yamal and Álvarez need greater protection on the pitch.
“I think we need to protect players who can make a difference like me, Lamine Yamal and Julián Álvarez,” he added.
Vinícius also questioned the severity of certain disciplinary decisions, citing a four-match suspension for pulling an opponent’s hair.
“I do not remember any player being banned for four games for pulling the opponent’s hair,” he said.
The 26-year-old further suggested that incidents involving him sometimes attract disproportionate criticism from rival clubs and sections of the media.
Reflecting on his development at Real Madrid, Vinícius recalled arriving at the Spanish club as an 18-year-old amid doubts about his ability to score consistently.
“Remember, I arrived at 18 years old and many people laughed at me. They said I can’t score, then I had more than 100 goals for Madrid,” he stated.
The Brazilian pointed to his goalscoring record and collection of trophies as evidence of his progress, ending with a confident message to his critics: “Vini always comes back, remember.”
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