Real Madrid manager Jose Mourinho has outlined his management philosophy regarding Vinicius Jr., stressing that collective success takes priority over any individual. Speaking after rotating his squad against AEK Athens, Mourinho praised the locker room's support for the Brazilian forward.
Mourinho manages forward line amid tight schedule
Jose Mourinho has provided insight into his tactical management of Vinicius Jr. as Real Madrid navigate a heavy autumn fixture list. The Brazilian forward featured in midweek as Madrid secured a 3-2 Champions League win over AEK Athens, allowing team-mates like Arda Guler to rest.
Mourinho reiterated that long-term squad rotation is vital to keeping Real Madrid competitive on all fronts.
However, the manager made it clear that team selection will always be governed by collective priorities rather than individual status.
Team priority comes above any individual player
"For me, the most important thing is the team. Never by my own will would I harm the team to benefit a player," Mourinho stated firmly.
"When we return to normal with Vini Jr. being available, I’ll manage it. I want the team to think game by game, but as a coach, I have to think about the next matches and the sequence of games we have."
"The match against AEK was for Vini Jr., to give some rest to a player like Guler, who had some issues," he explained.
Full backing for Vinicius to rediscover peak form
Mourinho expressed complete confidence in Vinicius' ability to return to his highest level, pointing to the support system within the dressing room.
"A bad player will always be bad no matter how much you try to improve them. A good one has their bad moments but leaves the door open to return to their normal state," Mourinho said.
"The game that Vini Jr. played in Athens—if it wasn’t Vini Jr. but a regular player—we’d all say he had a good game. Not incredible because his team didn’t play incredibly. We always expect the Vini Jr. who eliminated me from the Champions League, and that version exists, which we all expect. Something important is the friendship of his teammates, without exception," he added.
Real Madrid prepare options for Valencia test
Mourinho reaffirmed that squad decisions will always be made in the best interest of Real Madrid's collective results.
"When deciding who plays, the team is above the individual," the manager concluded.
Real Madrid prepare to deploy their full attacking arsenal as they face Valencia away at the Mestalla.
A sports journalist with nearly a decade of experience, beginning the professional journey at Indonesia's legendary Tabloid BOLA from 2017 until its final print edition in December 2018. Following that, joining GOAL, contributing as a freelance writer for FIFA, and working within the media department of the ASEAN Football Federation (AFF). Alongside the journalism career, also active as a live play-by-play commentator for Indonesian football since 2017. Holds a bachelor's degree in History from the Faculty of Cultural Sciences, Universitas Padjadjaran, Bandung.
Football Story
Footballing identity built on geography, heritage, and childhood obsession. Although the father played for a traditional rival club, nine years living in Bandung made Persib a spiritual home, sparked in 2006 by Thai goalkeeper Kosin Hathairattanakool and witnessing firsthand how deeply locals own the club. Globally, the first true love was Ronaldo and Inter Milan, enduring the heartbreak of near-misses during injury-plagued years. With Dutch roots in Rotterdam, making Feyenoord the club of choice, the Netherlands national team has always remained close to the heart, highlighted by the 2010 World Cup final, a live 2013 friendly against Indonesia, and Oranje Indonesia watch parties. Arjen Robben and Giovanni van Bronckhorst remain ultimate favorites, while Football Manager 2005 sparked a lasting admiration for Athletic Bilbao’s philosophy. Outside football, allegiance lies with the Chicago Bulls and Golden State Warriors through icons like Michael Jordan, Derrick Rose, and Stephen Curry.
Areas of Expertise
Areas of expertise span Indonesian football and Liga 1 data insights and unique features, alongside Southeast Asian and East Asian football landscapes covering Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam, Japan, and Korea. Additional skills include digital and social media video content creation such as Instagram reels and podcasts, as well as player profiling, feature writing, live broadcasting, interviewing, photography, and multilingual communication in basic français and español .
Favourite Footballing Memory
Combining a passion for backpacking with professional assignments has made it possible to pursue two goals simultaneously. Meeting and interviewing various Indonesian players pursuing careers or currently based abroad, ranging from across Southeast Asia to Europe, has been an absolute privilege and honor. Traveling independently through the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, France, and Japan to track down and connect with Indonesian players competing abroad remains a truly cherished experience. Crafting interview content with them is a body of work that will always hold a special place in memory.
My All-Time XI
It’s tough to lock down a definitive starting XI, but the non-negotiables are Manuel Neuer or Rogério Ceni in goal; alongside Javier Zanetti, Sergio Ramos, N'Golo Kanté, Toni Kroos, Arjen Robben, Mo Salah, and Zlatan Ibrahimović. Juan Román Riquelme or Michael Laudrup most likely complete the tactical puzzle. While legends like Lothar Matthäus, Zinedine Zidane, and Ronaldo are impossible to overlook, they were left out simply because they feature in everyone else's lineup.
