None of Vinícius's actions are done by chance. Everything, from his complaints about racism in Spain to what all of Europe saw last night at Bernabéu, is thought out and studied.
Vinícius scored Real Madrid's fourth goal: a great one. Aware that all eyes were on him, including the TV cameras, he remembered his commercial duties.
Marketing is as important as soccer itself. That's why Vinícius took advantage of the moment he celebrated the goal to take off his jersey and pull down his pants a little. Just enough to reveal the band of his underwear and thus show off his brand.
Protests at Adidas over Vinícius's Underwear
And what brand was Vinícius's underwear? Nike: the brand that sponsors Barça and is a direct rival of Adidas, the brand that dresses Real Madrid.
The fact didn't go unnoticed by those responsible for Adidas who signed the agreement with Real Madrid. There was a call for protest.
Real Madrid excused the incident, claiming that it was a coincidence. The club, however, warned Vinícius not to let it happen again. They didn't like what was seen on the field because it goes against the club's commercial sinterests.
Adidas's Contract with Real Madrid and Nike's with Vinícius
It is surprising that Adidas dresses Real Madrid yet some of its players go out and play with Nike underwear. The latter brand must have celebrated Vinícius's idea... Or was it planned by the Atlanta brand itself?
Adidas has sponsored Real Madrid since 1998 and its contract remains enforceable until 2028. It pays 130 million euros annually to boast about Real Madrid and not to see its players displaying the competition's logo.
Vinícius earns a USD 10-million annual contract from Nike. He has a point by keeping it in mind. It's almost half of what Real Madrid pays him.
This explains the consideration he showed when celebrating his second goal. He wanted to make sure he showed the world the logo of the brand that pays him.