Vinicius Junior may be struggling to reproduce the decisive form that established him as one of Real Madrid’s leading players, but former Barcelona forward Keita Balde believes the Brazilian retains a special bond with the club’s supporters.
Balde said Real Madrid fans still favour Vinicius over Kylian Mbappe, despite the winger’s recent dip in performance and the questions it has raised about whether he can return to his best.
“Real Madrid fans love Vinicius more than Kylian Mbappe,” Balde said during an appearance on El Chiringuito, with his comments reported by Sport.
The former Barcelona player based his assessment on what he has observed from outside the club, insisting that Vinicius continues to command significant respect at the Santiago Bernabeu.
“Vinicius is held in very high regard and is greatly respected at the Bernabeu,” he said.
Balde also expressed confidence that the 2026 Ballon d’Or nominee can rediscover the qualities that have made him one of Real Madrid’s most influential attacking players.
“I know football. Vinicius will definitely come back, and he will recover that spark he has,” he added.
That spark has not been seen with the same consistency in recent seasons. Vinicius has nevertheless benefited from the backing of the Santiago Bernabeu crowd during his development, as he progressed into one of the most prominent figures in the Real Madrid squad.
Balde believes that relationship with the supporters has survived the Brazilian’s recent difficulties, even though some fans have begun to question whether he can regain his previous level.
The comparison with Mbappe has added further interest to Balde’s comments. Since joining Real Madrid, the France international has taken on a significant share of the club’s attacking responsibility, but he has not won over every section of the fanbase.
Comments by Mbappe about the Ballon d’Or, together with an incident involving shirts in support of the city of Ceuta, have contributed to a greater distance between the player and some Real Madrid supporters.
“I feel they love Vinicius more than Kylian. I feel they love Vinicius very much,” Balde said.
Balde’s remarks were broadcast by El Chiringuito TV on 30 September 2026, with the programme carrying the headline: “The Bernabeu wants Vinicius more than Mbappe.”