Details of the cosmetic procedure.. Vinicius Junior surprises the world with "different features" ahead of the 2026 World Cup

Vinicius Junior looked notably different in a photo he posted alongside his partner on his official Instagram account.

Brazilian website TMC has since revealed the secret behind the change, which followed the forward's participation with his national team at the 2026 World Cup.

According to the report, Vinicius underwent a cosmetic procedure to reshape his chin at a specialised clinic in the city of Goiania.

It did not end there. According to a report by the Brazilian website "TMC", the clinic in question rolled out exceptional security measures to protect the privacy of Brazilian star Vinicius Junior.

Bosses banned staff from taking photographs, recording video clips or publishing any details of Vinicius's visit, all to keep the matter out of the media for as long as possible.

Back to the "cosmetic procedure" itself. Vinicius Junior, the Brazilian winger of Spanish giants Real Madrid, went under the knife using the latest techniques to sculpt his facial features and highlight the chin area in a natural way, according to "TMC".

These techniques involve no surgical work at all, the website stressed, which is why they've become hugely popular among football stars and athletes in general.

Vinicius Junior lit up a World Cup staged across the United States, Mexico and Canada. The Brazilian star was superb throughout the 2026 edition.

Across five matches for Brazil's senior side, Vinicius scored four goals and set up another.

Those goals came against Morocco, Haiti and Scotland in the group stage. He drew a blank against Japan in the round of 32 and Norway in the round of 16.

Even so, his brilliance could not carry Brazil past the last 16. Norway ended the Samba journey.