Thierry Henry sends Vinícius Júnior back to school over Liverpool: 'Do the ma...'

Vinícius Júnior is going through his most difficult moment since he arrived at Real Madrid. The Brazilian footballer has lost that spark and that touch of magic that made him the most unbalancing winger in the world. Last season, he already raised some doubts, although many attributed it to the lack of adaptation with Mbappé, his new attacking partner.

However, at this point, there are no possible excuses. It has been a while since Vinícius Júnior stopped being that unpredictable, powerful, and creative winger who used to lift Bernabéu with every run. Today, he has become a predictable striker, with less ability to beat defenders and a worrying tendency to make wrong decisions.

Real Madrid's defeat at Anfield against Liverpool has served to put the spotlight on his poor performance. In a match of the highest demands, Vinícius was almost invisible, unable to make a difference in dribbling or finishing. Not even the opposing defense had to work hard to stop him, something unthinkable a couple of years ago.

Thierry Henry criticizes Vinícius Júnior after what happened at Anfield

It was precisely along these lines that Thierry Henry spoke, as he commented on the match for CBS Sports and later analyzed the Brazilian's performance in detail. The former Arsenal and Barça striker didn't hold back when assessing Vinícius Júnior's performance. "I don't understand what Vinícius is doing, you have to play with what's in front of you, you have to play the moment", the Frenchman began.

Thierry Henry, with his usual tactical precision, explained what he considered a basic conceptual mistake. "He had Conor Bradley in the first five or seven minutes, and then he let him breathe. Why do you let him breathe? Try until he gets a yellow card and then he can't defend, but it wasn't like that", he continued in a reproachful tone.

He went even further, as Thierry Henry exposed Vinícius Júnior for his lack of judgment. "There was a play where he received the ball against Bradley and gave it back to Carreras to get it again, and it was already a one-on-three. Then he attacked alone against the three and I thought, wait, do the math."

Thierry Henry's reflection was as clear as it was devastating: "You had a one-on-one, try to see what you can do with that. Why do you move the ball back so it comes back to you and you play a one-on-three? I just don't understand Vinícius Júnior sometimes". The message was forceful: he isn't interpreting the game correctly, something unacceptable for a player of his talent.

Thierry Henry's words reflect the feelings of much of the Madridist fanbase. "Do the math," insisted the former striker, reminding him that soccer is also about making the right decisions, not just about talent or speed. His message, though harsh, was that of a teacher trying to correct a wayward student.