A new viral video has sparked debate around Vinicius Jr.’s penalty-taking technique after his miss against Valencia during Real Madrid’s 4-0 win at the Santiago Bernabeu.
The Brazilian forward, who otherwise had an impressive outing, saw his spot-kick denied, and now, fans think they have figured out why.
In a detailed by user @joaketlun1 (Joaquin Ketlun), Vinicius’ pattern from the penalty spot has been broken down frame by frame.
According to the video, the Real Madrid star tends to give away his intended direction through subtle body cues before striking the ball.
What are those cues?
As explained, when Vinicius stops with his right leg before taking the shot, he almost always shoots the ball to his left side, which is the right side of the goalkeeper.
Conversely, if he takes additional steps towards the ball before striking, he tends to open his body and shoot to the right.
😱¿LE HAN PILLADO A VINICIUS JR LOS PENALTIS?
– Cuando corre y se frena con el pie derecho va a la izquierda.
– Cuando hace paradiña, va a la derecha.
Qué c*** estoy viendo que se ha cumplido en un 85% este patrón 💀 pic.twitter.com/dNEAS3JMIC
— Pole (@SrPole_) November 1, 2025
The analysis suggests this habit has been consistent not only at Real Madrid but also when Vinicius takes penalties for the Brazilian national team.
This observation has sparked mixed reactions online. Some fans have praised the breakdown, calling it “genius analysis” and “a cheat code for goalkeepers,” while others have argued that Vinicius’ instinctive style and unpredictability make him difficult to read in real match situations.
Still, with the video gaining traction across platforms, goalkeepers might now have a mental note about Vinicius’ approach from the spot.
Whether this revelation will affect his future penalty decisions remains to be seen, but one thing is certain that if it is true by the stretch of the imagination, the player will alter his style from the next time.
All eyes on Vini now.