Brazil vs France: Vinicius Junior takes No. 10 shirt but disappointing display highlights leadership void

Vinicius Junior is set to wear the No. 10 shirt for Brazil at the World Cup, barring an injury or a surprise Neymar call-up in May. But his performance in the 2-1 defeat to France was a reminder that, within Carlo Ancelotti's attacking setup, the Real Madrid forward has yet to assume the leading role vacated by Brazil's all-time top scorer, or the injured Rodrygo.

Ancelotti retained his four-forward system, which he believes is the best fit for the squad he plans to take to the World Cup. Vinicius operated on the right flank alongside Gabriel Martinelli and tried to create openings in both halves, but came up short in his finishing, his final ball and his decision-making throughout the 2-1 defeat.

Of all the starters, Vinicius perhaps leaves the Gillette Stadium under the most pressure. He is Brazil's biggest name on the strength of what he has achieved at Real Madrid in recent seasons, but, as in 2022, he arrives at a World Cup carrying the weight of a leading role he has yet to truly own in a yellow shirt.

The match against France may be remembered as one of his most forgettable in recent times. Against Brazil's first European test under Ancelottin and with France among the favourites to win the tournament, Vinicius posted worrying numbers: two shots, one big chance missed deep in stoppage time, and 18 losses of possession.

Why does Vinicius lack impact for Brazil?

Vini was not the only Brazilian forward to disappoint, however. Martinelli and Raphinha, who left the pitch at half-time with a thigh problem, did create some openings, but the attacking unit as a whole was ineffective at Foxborough's Gillette Stadium, which hosted its second-largest crowd in the stadium's history.

The Real Madrid forward is preparing for his second World Cup with Brazil. In Qatar in 2022, he faced the same criticisms: a lack of decisive moments, leadership and creativity in the Brazilian attack. It was no coincidence that he only managed to score in the last-16 tie against South Korea, and was substituted during the elimination against Croatia.

Even so, in Tite's squad at that tournament, he had other key names around him, most notably Neymar, the "honorary" No. 10, who may yet reclaim that shirt should he be called up. Raphinha, who faced similar criticism to Vini at the time, and Rodrygo completed the attacking line.

Without Rodrygo, and now wearing the No. 10, Vini needs to drive the attack. In the second half, once Raphinha also went off — he is to be assessed on Friday over the severity of his injury — Vinicius was unable to move Brazil towards goal, and ultimately conceded the decisive second when Hugo Ekitike struck.

Ancelotti defends Vinicius

"Nothing is missing," Ancelotti said at the post-match press conference, backing his star forward. "Raphinha had a problem, but he had lots of chances, with great movement off the ball. Vini is very dangerous. I see no difference. He may not have scored. A winger does not need to score every time. It is a job well done."

Ancelotti sees no meaningful difference between Vinicius's performances for Real Madrid and for the national team. Yet after two standout displays for Los Blancos — against Manchester City and Atletico Madrid, in which he scored four goals across the two fixtures — he is once again running into the difficulties that have characterised his Brazil career.

Under his predecessor Dorival Junior, the pattern was the same. While dazzling under Ancelotti at Real Madrid, he could not replicate those performances in a yellow shirt. The Copa America elimination in 2024, immediately after winning the Champions League, and his individual displays in World Cup qualifying weighed heavily on the Brazilian star.

The pre-World Cup dynamic is now reversed. It is under Ancelotti — who helped him reach his peak between 2021 and 2025 — that Vinicius is failing to lead and create for Brazil, while under Alvaro Arbeloa at Real Madrid he has rediscovered the form that earned him the FIFA Best award and a Ballon d'Or runner-up finish.

Against France, while Mbappe and Ekitike lit up Deschamps's attack, it was Luiz Henrique who produced Brazil's most dangerous moments, despite coming on only in the second half. The goal that briefly brought Brazil back into the match, scored by Bremer, came from an assist by Luiz Henrique, something Vinicius, who was on the pitch for 99 minutes, had been unable to provide.