Vinicius: I'll never forget Real Madrid debut
Brazilian winger Vinicius Junior, 18, revelled in his first senior appearance for Real Madrid on Saturday.
Published : Sep 30, 2018 12:31 IST
Vinicius Junior said his Real Madrid debut is a day he will never forget after the teenage star made his bow against city rivals Atletico Madrid.
Brazilian winger Vinicius came off the bench to make history in Madrid's goalless LaLiga draw with Atletico at the Santiago Bernabeu on Saturday.
The 18-year-old, who finalised his €45million transfer from Flamengo in the off-season after agreeing a move to Madrid last year, replaced Karim Benzema in the 87th minute to become the first player born in 2000 to play a competitive game for the Spanish club.
Reflecting on his first senior appearance, having starred for Madrid's Castilla side, Vinicius told Real Madrid TV: "I'm really pleased to have made my first appearance in a Real Madrid shirt.
"I want to thank all of the players who help me to improve in every training session and [Julen] Lopetegui too. It was a really happy moment for me. "Right from a young age, I dreamed of playing for Real Madrid, the best team in the world. I'm really grateful for the support from all of the fans. It's a day I'll never forget. There are no words to describe this moment.
"We deserved the win but unfortunately we didn't manage to convert our chances. We dominated the play but we now have to switch our attentions to the Champions League."