As an FC Barcelona fan, watching the documentary “Baila, Vini” (Portuguese for “Dance, Vini”) about Real Madrid’s forward, Vinicius Jr., initially felt a little treasonous. However, with the Champions League kicking off and Vini boycotting the Ballon d’Or, I thought it was a good opportunity to conduct some reconnaissance about the competition.
Also, who can resist a good hatewatch?
On paper, Vini’s career is stellar: debuting at only 16 for one of Brazil’s most popular football clubs, Flamengo, and getting poached by Madrid just three weeks later. His beginnings indicated the makings of greatness.
The documentary does a fine job of conveying the excitement and gratification of this period, specifically by incorporating his mother’s commentary. Hailing from a favela near Rio de Janeiro, his ascension to Flamengo is compelling: from teaching himself to dribble through YouTube to staying at the team’s local branch in São Gonçalo day and night to perfect his craft.
In earlier footage from his junior games, Vini begins to develop his trademark flair on the pitch, with the cherry on top being his signature dance celebrations after a goal. The nickname “Vini Malvadeza (wicked Vini)” was given to him during his Flamengo years, due to his tendency to let all his emotions show on the field, including his infamous frustration.
The pre-La Liga (Spain’s top league) period of the documentary is the best part, as it offers some insight into the star’s upbringing. It highlights that Vini was not unknown before Madrid. In fact, his breakthrough into Europe was inevitable, but looking back, its magnitude was not fully appreciated.
Madrid picked him up in a transfer saga when they outbid Manchester United a year before his 18th birthday for $50.8 million, the second-highest transfer fee in the Brazilian league behind Neymar. It is fitting, then, that Neymar is one of the voices that broaches the topic of Vini’s initial hurdles at Madrid.
Then-manager Julen Lopetegui noticed Vini’s slower, Brazilian style of play, deeming him not yet ready for La Liga’s faster pace. Consequently, he was kept in the reserve team or on the bench without consistent minutes. However, Vini thrived under the subsequent manager, Santiago Solari, who is credited with being the first Madrid manager to trust him with regular playing minutes.
After being given his chance, Benzema aptly chimes in, dubbing Vini as a “little brother” and highlighting their impressive attacking partnership in the 2021-2022 season. Vini’s form continues to improve, and we are treated to select highlights from the 2023-2024 season, where he was arguably at his best.
On top of his uncertain place on the pitch, during the 2023-24 season, Vini was subjected to deplorable attacks of racism in an away match against Valencia. The incident shook the world, and the documentary does not sugarcoat the impact it had on Vini and his family.
Instead of staying quiet, Vini took a firm stance against racism in an act that united the footballing world. His decision to hold his perpetrators accountable to the highest standard by publicly condemning them on both social media and in press conferences, while also pursuing criminal charges, has set a precedent for future footballers.
The montage showing the outpouring of support he received for his efforts against racism was particularly inspiring. Therefore, as a football fan, I applaud and respect his efforts to combat hateful crowds.
I will admit, I am still a Barcelona fan. And this is still a hatewatch.
The documentary itself falls flat in terms of pacing. Narratives are fragmented and messy, and after every few frames, viewers aren’t quite sure what event comes next. Each segment of his career feels disconnected from the next, more like a part of a YouTube mini-series than a continuous documentary.
Aside from the highlights of the match versus Valencia, the in-game content feels shallow. I had to force myself to draw from my own memory of early Madrid matches to sympathize with his adjustment issues, which seemed to be blown out of proportion to give him talking points for the storyline.
The documentary did very little to reveal the person behind the footballer. Fundamentally, Vini is an unlikeable player. His behavioral issues are the stuff of legend, with even Kylian Mbappe recently covering his mouth at a match against Real Oviedo to avoid him being sent off. Instead of taking an introspective approach, his PR team seems to further glorify his ego. He’s compared to Larry Bird and these moments are framed as him trying to “get into players’ heads.”
The comparison is laughable, even for Madrid fans who are now used to his meltdowns. The documentary feels like a hastily assembled part of his PR campaign, with criticisms coming from all sides about its poor production.
To summarize the documentary in one word, it’s unnecessary. Granted, Vini’s career is exceptional, but we have yet to witness it reach its midpoint, let alone its end, and this is evident. The footballer is only 25, and hence, the documentary stretches out his first years and plays them out agonizingly slowly. Having only played for two clubs thus far does not help his case.
This documentary is part of a larger, perhaps undeserved wave of hype surrounding Vini, and as it dies down, the truth is laid bare for all to see.
Unlike fellow Brazilian Rodrygo, Vini has shown himself to be an inflexible and egotistical part of Madrid that prioritises individuality over the team, a valid criticism that’s followed him from his Flamengo days. With Xabi Alonso’s takeover of Real Madrid and Kylian Mbappe headlining the new squad, Alonso has made one thing clear: He has no qualms with benching Vini when necessary.
Under these circumstances, Vini is no longer dancing and instead faces a career-defining question: to adapt or get sacked.
Lavanya Aditi Puri CM ’29 enjoys procrastinating by watching films. Her Letterboxd top 4 are Pacific Rim, Crazy Rich Asians, No Country For Old Men and Fantastic Mr. Fox.
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