Vinícius showed his sensitive side. As a guest on a TV show, he listened to a message from his grandmother, Nizla—with whom he grew up and remains very close—and broke down in tears.

“She’s a very special person because my father always lived far away, so I grew up with my mother, my siblings, and my grandmother. The house was small, and I slept with her countless nights. I’m speechless. She shaped my life. I know there will come a time when people will leave us, so I’m enjoying every moment I can with her. She did everything she could to help me make my dream come true. Seeing her happy is priceless,” said the Real Madrid superstar with tears in his eyes.

Vinicius breaks down in tears at his grandmother’s words.

"I spent up to sixteen years living with her. She’s a very important person to me because my father always lived far away. So my mother and brothers were always there with my grandmother. She always did everything for…

— Viní Jr.FanBoy (@vinijrfanboy_) June 28, 2026

He also spoke about his fight against racism. “These victories off the field are much more important than the ones I achieve on it. Because that way, I’m helping so many more people. It’s true that progress is slow, but I hope it continues so that the next generation won’t have to suffer the same way. I have a seven-year-old brother, and I hope he never has to experience racism. I want to do great things on the field, but I also want to continue to inspire young Black people who don’t have the voice that I have.”

As for Brazil’s World Cup campaign, he said: “This is a generation that’s fighting hard to bring Brazil back to the top. The sixth star has been a long time coming. We’ve learned a lot over the past few years. Coach Ancelotti gives us freedom, calm, and hope that we can return to the top. Having Neymar, Casemiro, Alex Sandro, Danilo, and Marquinhos—who are all very experienced—gives us a lot of peace of mind, allowing the younger players to have room to grow. I’m only 25 years old, but a very talented generation is coming up with Edric, Rayan, and others.”

*photo source: AP