It sure doesn't feel like it, but Vinicius Jr is about to complete his seventh season at Real Madrid - and it's set to be his first full campaign at Los Blancos without a trophy.

Take a look at why that is, what's happened to the Brazilian and how he and his team can bounceback next season after a difficult year.

Ballon Don't

To many fans and players alike, Madrid are the apex. The pinnacle of ambition built on pillars of victory, synonymous with success boasting an iconic shirt worn by generations of greats and Galacticos.

But when they lose a game, those victory-bathed pillars start to creak. And when they lose again, they start to crumble. And by the end of the season, the manager has left and everyone is talking about how the club need to change their ways.

Vinicius himself is hardly to blame for that. He joined Los Blancos as a talented and determined 18-year-old and has spent over half a decade demonstrating talismanic abilities beyond his age. He's won two Champions Leagues and three La Liga titles during his time at the club, and even this season has mustered up 35 goal contributions in 51 games despite everyone talking about how he and Kylian Mbappe can't play together.

Having said that, this could be the problem. Possessing two world-class attackers in a squad full of proven quality, and still failing to win a trophy, has perhaps left Madrid's directors red-faced - and in need of change.

Not only that, their off-field attitude comes across more distasteful. Like a loudmouthed boxer taunting a crowd. When they're winning, it feels like showmanship or bravado. Anything but, and it comes across as petulant.

Real Madrid's snubbing of last year's Ballon d'Or ceremony is probably the biggest example of this. In an era where good sportsmanship - for better or worse - is prominent and seen as 'the right thing to do', for Madrid's higher-ups to boycott the event is indicative of where they see themselves as a football club. There is a genuine air of superiority - and it may have caught up to them this season.

Season To Forget

That air of superiority may be the reason that Madrid have seen such success under Carlo Ancelotti. His relationist ideals combined with top attacking talents have led Los Blancos to be the dominant team in Europe during his tenure.

Yet this season they have been undone four times out of four by Barcelona, and crashed out of the Champions League after being embarrassed by Arsenal. So why did Ancelotti-ball stop working? And what's it meant for Vinicius?

Hansi Flick is showing how antiquated Carlo Ancelotti’s style of football is here. The high press is torching Real Madrid’s poor build-up structure. No Kroos to temporise the build-up and Carlo looks lost on what to do. A brutal end to his reign.

— Premier League Panel (@PremLeaguePanel) May 11, 2025

One common theory is that with Mbappe's arrival and his preference to play on the inside-left, Vinicius has been forced out of his preferred position, leaving Madrid's attack incoherent.

Vinicius' shotmap for 2023/24. Image from Understat.

Vinicius' shotmap for 2024/25. Image from Understat.

To a point, this is true. If you look at the two shotmaps above, it shows that Vinicius' shots have typically been from 3-5 yards wider than they would have been last season. This decreases the xG value of each shot, and over time means he has accumulated fewer goals. Conversely, Mbappe's shotmap below shows a significant number of shots in that very spot. For Vinicius, this has perhaps left him feeling begrudged that Ancelotti no longer sees him as 'the guy'.

Mbappe's shotmap for 2024/25. Image from Understat.

Ancelotti has favoured a 4-3-3 this season in order to accommodate both forwards and Rodrygo on the right. Despite what was, on paper, an attacking change compared to the 4-3-1-2 we saw last season, Madrid have scored eleven fewer league goals this season.

For Vinicius, the offensive issue isn't glaring. He has managed two fewer goal contributions in three more games in 2024/25 compared to last season - a negligible difference on the surface. But the mood around the Brazilian has certainly shifted throughout the season, and there is an expectation that he, alongside the rest of his team, will raise their standards next year.

Can Alonso Fix It - And Will He Need To?

Xabi Alonso is, in his own words, a very different coach to his predecessor. "I'm more of a positional guy," he told Der Spiegel. "I want a high press and recovering the ball immediately - but above all else, my priority is control."

🚨🤍 Xabi Alonso to Real Madrid, here we go! Story confirmed and deal sealed for Xabi as new manager until 2028.

Staff sorted, contract in place and three year deal for Alonso with Real planning for him to start at FIFA Club World Cup.

Ancelotti farewell soon, then Xabi era. 🎞️ pic.twitter.com/s6jY4DzZmx

— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) May 12, 2025

With the Spaniard coming in, that word - control - might become crucial at Real Madrid next season. Ancelotti's Madrid often thrived in relationist chaos, leaning on individual brilliance in transition, with players like Vinicius operating in open space rather than within fixed patterns. Alonso, by contrast, wants structure, shape, and compactness - both with and without the ball.

That raises the question: can Vinicius thrive in an Alonso system?

Much has been made of the Brazilian’s out of possession flaws - that he doesn't press hard enough even in big games. But the data doesn't fully support that. His pressing numbers: 3.43 ball recoveries per 90 and 0.41 attacking third tackles per 90, put him in the top 30% of all wingers this season. If Alonso’s pressing setup is clearly defined - as it was at Leverkusen - it's a fairly realistic claim that Vinicius would buy into it.

More interesting, perhaps, is how Alonso uses him in possession. With Mbappé favouring the same inside-left channel, the temptation might be to push Vinicius wider or even into a more withdrawn role. But Alonso has shown flexibility before. At Leverkusen, he used Florian Wirtz as a wide player who drifted centrally to receive between lines, while wingbacks stretched the pitch. Madrid may not use wingbacks, but a similar principle could allow Vinicius and Mbappé to coexist - with one staying high, the other dropping or inverting - rather than simply stepping on each other's toes.

The caveat to this would be that both figures would need to swallow their egos slightly and build a co-dependent relationship. It's not out of the question, but if history is anything to go by then it will definitely take a convincing argument from Alonso.

🚨 Xabi Alonso wants to play with just Vinícius and Kylian Mbappé up top for Real Madrid next season, leaving Rodrygo with a supporting role.

(Source: @DiarioAS) pic.twitter.com/fL2zZ4IjzE

— Transfer News Live (@DeadlineDayLive) May 19, 2025

Another question mark is whether Vinicius will even be in Madrid come next season. Reports in Spain have suggested he feels increasingly marginalised - both tactically and emotionally - after a season of positional compromise and tabloid scrutiny. While Madrid are unlikely to actively shop him, a mega offer from abroad could test their resolve. With links to Saudi Arabia murmuring behind the scenes, any on-field decisions that upset Vinicius could prove to be the final straw.

Assuming the Brazilian does stay, if Alonso wants control, he’ll need to set out his stall early. A cohesive attacking trio of Vinicius, Mbappe and Rodrygo has the potential to compete on the list of all-time attacks - but only if the Spanish manager is able to get all three on board.

From a selfish perspective, it would be a huge shame to see Vinicius go to Saudi Arabia. Still 24, the winger has most of his career ahead of him. And with the talent he possesses, a career in Saudi would be a huge waste. For the Brazilian who seems determined to win a Ballon d'Or, it would likely prove to be a poor choice.