Vinicius Junior Breaks Neymar’s Underrated Champions League Knockout Record

Real Madrid’s electric left winger Vinicius Junior has added another historic line to his résumé, eclipsing Neymar to become the Brazilian player with the most goals in UEFA Champions League knockout-phase history. The 25-year-old struck in the 80th minute against Benfica, sealing a 2-1 victory that carried the Spanish giants into the Round of 16 and, in the process, lifted his personal tally of knockout goals to 14.

Neymar had held the previous benchmark with 13 such goals, accumulated during headline-laden runs with Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain that included a treble with the Catalan side and PSG’s maiden final appearance. Vinicius, however, reached the new mark in fewer seasons and now sits alone atop the list.

The goal at the Estádio da Luz underlined the Brazilian’s reputation for decisive performances on Europe’s biggest stage. He has already played a starring role in two of Madrid’s recent Champions League triumphs, in 2021-22 and again in 2023-24, and his knack for rising to high-pressure moments has become a hallmark of his still-young career.

While neither Neymar nor Vinicius has yet claimed the Ballon d’Or, the Madrid star’s latest milestone positions him as the foremost Brazilian performer in the competition’s knockout rounds, a record that may stand for some time given his age and upward trajectory.