Vinicius Junior humbled Jose Mourinho further with an embarrassing new record

Madrid – When the final whistle confirmed Real Madrid’s passage past Benfica, the storyline that lingered was not merely the scoreline but the personal history rewritten by Vinicius Junior. The Brazilian forward’s two goals across the tie did more than secure progression; they placed him alone in the record books as the first player ever to score in both legs of a European knockout tie against a team managed by Jose Mourinho.

Vinicius opened the account in the first leg, bending a brilliant finish beyond the goalkeeper amid a fog of post-match controversy. Three days later he struck again, racing clear on the break to slide home the decisive goal that sealed the tie. Those two moments of surgical precision were enough to puncture the reputation Mourinho has cultivated for two decades: the Portuguese coach whose Porto, Chelsea, and Roma sides were synonymous with airtight defenses and psychological control.

For Madrid supporters, the narrative carried added resonance. Mourinho’s tenure at the Bernabéu a decade ago remains respected for trophies delivered, yet recent remarks in which he downplayed racism in football—citing Benfica’s pioneering history with Eusebio—had already frayed goodwill. Watching Vinicius, a frequent target of racist abuse, author the perfect rebuttal on the pitch turned respect into jubilation inside the stadium and across social media.

Statistics from Madrid Xtra confirmed the unprecedented nature of the feat: no previous opponent had managed to score in both legs of a European tie against a Mourinho side. By achieving the milestone, Vinicius not only propelled his club into the next round but also etched his name atop a niche yet symbolic piece of football history.

As the players saluted the travelling fans, Mourinho stood motionless on the touchline, his trademark defensive aura breached by the one player whose speed and directness proved unanswerable. For Vinicius Junior, the night was another step in a career already defined by breaking barriers; for Mourinho, it was a reminder that even the most meticulously constructed walls can be torn down by a single, relentless force.