Vinicius Junior: Eyeing Ballon d'Or Glory as He Leads Real Madrid in Champions League Clash Against Lille

 As Champions League stakes become a journey of proportions, one man everyone waits for is Vinicius Junior, the wunderkind of Real Madrid, who is not only pinning hopes of triumph on the ground but also dreams to be crowned the world's best player on the world-famous Ballon d'Or by the end of October. The 24-year-old forward is sure to play a pivotal role when his side locks horns with Lille on Wednesday, going by current form, despite the absence of teammate Kylian Mbappe.

Vinicius Steps Up in Mbappe's Absence

He has carried the attacking load this season following the early season struggles of Vinicius to get into stride with Mbappe, who was also trying to rediscover form after coming off injuries. Overall, Madrid continues their unbeaten run in Europe on this opening day of this year into their 14th game with a gritty win over Stuttgart.

Mbappe has been included in the first team to face Lille, but there is little chance of him appearing given that manager Carlo Ancelotti seemed ambiguous with the possibility of the Frenchman playing or missing out on the game altogether. Ancelotti still trusts Vinicius, saying he is prepared for Vinicius to win the Ballon d'Or after what appeared to be a magnificent season he had last year.

Vinicius’ Journey to Stardom

Vinicius Junior had a slow start last season but hit top form in the second half, contributing heavily to Real Madrid’s 15th European Cup triumph. His standout performances in the Champions League, where he scored crucial goals in both the semifinal and final, have made him one of the top contenders for this year’s Ballon d’Or. Ancelotti praised his star player, saying, “I think he deserves it for what he did last year, for his impact in the Champions League… he’ll carry on, whether he wins or not.”

A Dynamic Role in Ancelotti's System

Ancelotti has been smart with his tactical decisions, keeping Vinicius in his preferred position on the left wing, experimenting with different formations. Despite always having questions over how Vinicius and Mbappe were going to share the pitch, Ancelotti has found a way to create a system for the Brazilian to thrive in. In both a more expansive 4-3-3 or a more compact 4-4-2 Vinicius has shown his ability to be quite an influencer.

Vinicius was almost involved in Eder Militao's opening goal in Madrid's recent 1-1 draw with Atletico Madrid, making it his third game on the trot of good performances. Rodrygo and veteran midfielder Luka Modric also came in handy as Madrid continues to prove its strength both in La Liga and in Europe.

Not surprisingly, performances of this magnitude have not gone unnoticed at clubs across the world, and in August, it emerged that a Saudi Pro League club had offered a huge deal for the Brazilian. While Vinicius, for the moment, has not closed the door to a transfer in the future, his focus now is on trying to help Madrid assert their dominance again over Europe. His current contract runs until 2027, but the 24-year-old may reassess next summer, especially if the offers keep coming.

This is at a point where all Vinicius cares about is continuing to maintain his lead form with further silverware collections for already-heavily-laden Madrid's trophy cabinet. Vinicius has now chipped in with two goals in his last seven games, plus the additional laurels of having played crucial roles from behind in leading Madrid toward success.