Has Vinícius Júnior really dropped off?

The drop is real, but it is not the whole story. Of 9 measures, 4 are down by 15% or more against last season and 2 are up by 15% or more, per 90 minutes.

So a season of a few weeks can be compared fairly with a full one: every figure is counted for the same 90 minutes of football.

Where do the figures come from?

Sportmonks match data for La Liga and the Champions League, this season and last, read by the Moneyball Scout engine.

★ Moneyball Original · Player analysis

Vinícius Júnior: is the drop real? The numbers behind the "fake Vini" talk

By Moneyball Editorial · published 2026-10-12 · updated 2026-10-17

"Fake Vini", "a clone of the real one": the talk around Vinícius Júnior has been loud. The fairest test is the simplest: his season so far against his last one, every figure counted per 90 minutes. Verdict: The drop is real, but it is not the whole story.

This season against last, per 90 minutes

Measure	This season	Last season	Change
Match rating	6.81	7.33	-7%
Goals per 90	0.12	0.38	-68%
Assists per 90	0.37	0.16	+132%
xG per 90	0.36	0.44	-19%
Shots per 90	3.1	3.2	-4%
Key passes per 90	1.7	2.2	-23%
Dribbles per 90	2.0	2.8	-29%
Duels won per 90	6.0	6.3	-4%
Fouls won per 90	3.1	2.6	+19%

This season: 731 minutes in 10 matches. Last season: 2825 minutes in 36 matches.

What has dropped

Goals per 90 (-68%), xg per 90 (-19%), key passes per 90 (-23%), dribbles per 90 (-29%).

What has not

Assists per 90 (+132%), fouls won per 90 (+19%). He has scored 1.9 goals fewer than his chances were worth (xG): the chances are still arriving, the finishing is not. That usually turns back.

The Moneyball view

Some of the drop is real. But a player who still gets into the same positions, still wins fouls and still creates chances is a player in a bad patch, not a different player. The table updates itself after every match.

Vinícius Júnior in the Stats Centre

Questions

Has Vinícius Júnior really dropped off?: The drop is real, but it is not the whole story. Of 9 measures, 4 are down by 15% or more against last season and 2 are up by 15% or more, per 90 minutes.
Why per 90 minutes?: So a season of a few weeks can be compared fairly with a full one: every figure is counted for the same 90 minutes of football.
Where do the figures come from?: Sportmonks match data for La Liga and the Champions League, this season and last, read by the Moneyball Scout engine.