José Mourinho used his post-match press conference after Real Madrid’s 2-1 win over Inter on Tuesday to publicly back Vinícius Jr, though the backing came with a clear condition attached. Asked why he had shown affection to the Brazilian after substituting him, Mourinho explained that his support is tied directly to whether the winger works for the team, according to Managing Madrid.
The comments came after a chaotic Champions League league-phase opener at the Bernabéu, one Mourinho himself described as the kind of game he would rather avoid, given how open it became at both ends. He noted that Inter’s setup, built around three center-backs and wing-backs, made life difficult for wide players generally, which he offered as context for why Vinícius struggled to find his usual rhythm before being withdrawn.
Support with conditions attached
Mourinho was careful to frame his backing of Vinícius as something earned through effort rather than automatic. He said that giving his all doesn’t obligate a player to give more, and that Vinícius has done exactly that, but stopped short of promising the forward a guaranteed starting berth or a full 90 minutes going forward. The coach pointed to Vinícius’s decisive stretch during Mourinho’s time at Benfica, when the winger closed out a game from a counter-attack at 1-1, as the level he still believes is within reach.
That history matters given the questions already circulating about Vinícius’s long-term contract situation at Real Madrid, a topic that has run alongside his form all summer.
Not at his peak, but working towards it
Pressed further on Vinícius being jeered by sections of the Bernabéu crowd, Mourinho separated his own assessment from the fans’ reaction. He said he wasn’t there to criticise supporters but to speak as a coach, and that Vinícius has his utmost respect even though he isn’t at his peak right now. Mourinho added that the player himself is the first to recognise that, and that the harder work being put in during this stretch is a direct response to it.
He also attributed the recent instances where Vinícius has failed to gel with the team’s rhythm to fatigue rather than any deeper issue, and said he expects the version of Vinícius capable of deciding matches to return. It’s a stance consistent with how Mourinho has spoken about managing Real Madrid’s attacking talent more broadly, echoing the balance between freedom and responsibility he described when discussing Jude Bellingham’s role under him.