Vinicius Jr. was up for the occasion on Sunday, scoring a first half hat trick for Real Madrid in their Spanish Super Cup matchup against longtime rivals Barcelona.
The Brazilian star got started quickly in Saudi Arabia, giving his side the lead just seven minutes in. Near the halfway line, Jude Bellingham played a smart pass through traffic to Vinicius, who then dashed towards goal. Though his first touch was heavy, he was able to catch up to the ball with no one around him and outmaneuvered Barcelona goalkeeper Inaki Pena to score from an angle.
Three minutes later, he scored again. Dani Carvajal’s long pass down the right flank found Rodrygo, and he went on a run for goal. Despite finding a nice opening for himself, he instead noticed Vinicius Junior’s well-timed run to his left and sent the ball his way, allowing him to complete a brace from close range.
Vinicius Junior’s third came courtesy of a penalty in the 39th minute, when Ronald Araujo pulled him down in the box to concede the spotkick. The Real Madrid star sent the ball to his left and slipped into the goal before Pena had a chance to stop it, making the score 3-1 after Robert Lewandowski scored for the opposition.
Vinicius Junior, who has been with the club since 2018, has now scored six goals during El Clasico.
KVSP