Real Madrid News
Chelsea future star names Real Madrid forward the ‘best in the world’
Real Madrid have transformed numerous Brazilian talents into stars, with Vinicius Jr and Rodrygo Goes standing out as prime examples of their development success.
Vinicius, in particular, has taken the world by storm with his incredible ascension in the Spanish capital.
In fact, his impressive exploits with Real Madrid last season have placed him as one of the Wfrontrunners for the Ballon d’Or this year, which will be awarded in October.
Praise from a Brazilian compatriot
Owing to his strides, it is no surprise that Vinicius is highly regarded in his home country Brazil.
Now, Estevao, one of the bright merging prospects from Brazilian football, has also come out to express his admiration for Vinicius.
“I’ve already met Vini. He was the one I was most nervous about meeting. He’s a reference point for what he’s doing at Real Madrid, for me he’s the best in the world,” said Estevao, as quoted by CNN Brasil.

As a winger who shares similarities with Vinicius, the admiration barely comes across as a surprise.
Esetvao has established himself as an incredibly talented young winger who is unbeatable in one-versus scenarios and possesses a highly creative passing range, drawing parallels with Vinicius.
The 17-year-old is poised to join Chelsea next year, which is indicative of his rapid growth in football.
While Vinicius’ status was expected to nosedive after Kylian Mbappe arrived in Madrid, praise from some of the best talents in football highlights the Brazilian star’s huge impact.
Moreover, the fact that Saudi Arabian sides were willing to make Vinicius the highest-paid player in the world is just another testament to his immense talents.
The Merengues have not enjoyed the best of starts to La Liga, yet Vinicius has consistently dished out promising performances, and it is only a matter of time before he begins delivering his usual output as he does every year.
Real Madrid News
Confirmed: Real Madrid starting lineup against Elche – Guler in for Bellingham
Real Madrid will be looking to pick up their fifth win of the 2026/27 La Liga season when they take on Elche CF at Estadio Manuel Martinez Valero later tonight.
With 12 points from five games, Los Blancos are currently second in the league table, three points below leaders FC Barcelona.
As such, the Spanish capital club will be eager to get the win and close the gap to the top.
Guler starts, Bellingham rested
Ahead of kickoff, Real Madrid have announced the starting lineup that will take the field against Elche, with Jose Mourinho making some important changes.
For starters, Arda Guler is back in the lineup after appearing as a substitute in the win over Rayo Vallecano.
Interestingly, however, he starts in the attacking midfield role, with Mourinho opting to rest Jude Bellingham, who has started all of Real Madrid’s games so far.
That also means that Yan Diomande retains his place in the team, starting for a second time in a row on the right wing. Kylian Mbappe and Vinicius Jr. continue in their respective positions in attack.
Another notable change sees Aurelien Tchouameni make his first start of the season after recovering from injury and making two appearances off the bench.
He replaces Bernardo Silva as Federico Valverde’s partner in the middle of the park.
Meanwhile, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Marc Cucurella come in as full-backs, while Ibrahima Konate and Dean Huijsen slot in at centre-back in front of goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois.
📋✅ ¡Nuestro XI inicial!
— Real Madrid C.F. (@realmadrid) September 15, 2026
🆚 @ElcheCF
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