Brazil, then, will need Vinicius to maintain the high standards he has set in the first phase of this World Cup if they are to stand any chance of upsetting the odds by pushing into the latter stages.
If they can get past Japan, a more favourable last-16 tie against Norway or Ivory Coast will await, and they will fancy their chances of reaching the quarter-finals. From that point onwards things look a whole lot tougher, with England, Argentina and Spain all potential opponents on their route to the final.
The odds are stacked against Brazil and what is undeniably a rag-tag squad, but there is a lot to be said for the kind of momentum the form of their superstar Vinicius can generate, especially if he continues to perform in the last 32 and round of 16.
He has set his sights on earning his country a sixth star on their shirts. “There is nothing better than returning at the World Cup, the place where I always dreamed of being, to represent my family and my country in the fight for the sixth star,” he said.
“I will keep improving throughout the tournament, and our hope, the hope of the fans and our families, only continues to grow.”
