Canizares suggests playing Vinícius as Real Madrid’s centre-forward

Former Real Madrid goalkeeper Santi Cañizares has suggested that Vinícius Júnior play as the team’s centre-forward, saying that José Mourinho would deserve praise if he succeeded in integrating the Brazilian into the attack and making use of his movement. He made the suggestion as Vinícius returned to action after serving a suspension.

Cañizares said the centre-forward position was the best fit for Vinícius, and felt it would require constant movement and integration into the team’s style of play. The player returned to action against AEK Athens on 4 November, starting the match before being substituted in minute 80. He had missed two La Liga matches through suspension, then sat out the following match against Valencia as his domestic ban continued.

According to statistics from Real Madrid’s official website cited in the source, Vinícius had played 12 matches in all competitions during the 2026-2027 season, scoring one goal and providing three assists in 882 minutes. The suggestion is that playing centrally could allow him to attack the space behind the centre-backs, but would require him to develop his off-the-ball movement and his ability to deal with defenders inside the penalty area, while taking into account Kylian Mbappé’s effectiveness as a centre-forward.