Strong advice! Experts recommend Vinicius Junior drop the No. 10 jersey and criticize Brazil's efforts to make him Neymar's successor.
On 21 Mar 2026 GMT+7, Real Madrid superstar Vinicius Junior is under pressure to stop wearing Brazil's No. 10 jersey after his performances fell short of expectations. Critics say he is burdened mentally by wearing this number, traditionally held by an "offensive genius" like Neymar.
Although he has established himself as one of the world's most dangerous attackers at Real Madrid, Vinicius has yet to replicate that level with the national team. Since debuting in September 2019, the 25-year-old has scored only 8 goals and provided 7 assists in 46 matches, figures that have sparked heavy criticism in Brazil.
In a recent friendly against France, he wore the No. 10 shirt but failed to influence the game as Neymar would in his absence, leading many to believe the tactical and psychological burden is too great for him.
Former Brazil defender Fabio Luciano told ESPN Brasil that the national team should stop trying to make Vinicius the "heir to Neymar" and instead help him return to his natural role.
He pointed out that Brazil's system tightly marks Vinicius and lacks the support he receives at Madrid. He said bluntly, "Without Neymar, he feels he has to be Neymar, which is too heavy a burden. The national team must tell him, ‘You are not Neymar,’ and he doesn't have to solve everything alone."
There is growing opinion that Vinicius is a victim of an unsuitable role and should revert to his original number to avoid the pressure of the playmaker position.
Luciano also criticized strongly, saying, "I get very frustrated seeing him wear No. 10. He's not a No. 10 player; he's a winger, not a midfielder or a creative genius. His strengths are speed and dribbling."
"Vinicius is not Neymar. He doesn't need to carry the national team alone. He is just part of the team. If the team plays well, he will too. My advice is: don't choose No. 10."
Brazil is scheduled to play a friendly against Croatia in Orlando on 1 April, with all eyes on whether Vinicius will keep wearing No. 10 and if he can end his goal drought.
He has not scored in his last four matches for Brazil, with his last goal coming in a 5-0 win over South Korea in October last year, posing a significant challenge for Carlo Ancelotti to unlock the key attacker’s form again.