Real Madrid’s Vinicius Jr shows he deserves Ballon d’Or after superb display

• Real Madrid pulled off a stunning 5-2 comeback against Borussia Dortmund in the UEFA Champions League, overturning a two-goal deficit
• Dortmund initially led 2-0 through first-half goals from Donyell Malen and Jamie Gittens, but Vinicius Junior’s hat-trick led a Madrid resurgence in the second half
• The Brazilian’s performance underlines why he’s the front-runner for football’s biggest individual prize, the Ballon d’Or

Spanish giant Real Madrid delivered yet another unforgettable Champions League night, storming back to claim a 5-2 victory over Borussia Dortmund after trailing 2-0. 

The Spanish giants were left shell-shocked as Donyell Malen and Jamie Gittens fired Dortmund into a first-half lead, only for Vinicius Junior to spark a second-half resurgence. His electrifying hat-trick, coupled with goals from Antonio Rudiger and Lucas Vazquez saw the Los Blancos comeback at the Santiago Bernabeu.

It was like a rematch of the 2024 UEFA Champions League final, and Dortmund seemed ready to flip the script, heading into halftime with a comfortable lead. 

However, Carlo Ancelotti’s men came out firing in the second half, avoiding what would have been a damaging loss in their group campaign. Antonio Rudiger’s header and Vinicius' brilliant equaliser within two minutes brought the game level, and from there, Madrid never looked back.

Lucas Vazquez added the go-ahead goal in the 83rd minute, sealing Dortmund’s damned fate, but Vinicius wasn’t done, though. Two outstanding strikes in the final moments completed his hat-trick and put the game beyond doubt. 

Ancelotti hailed his star after the match, saying, 

“What I can say about Vinicius is that it’s rare for him to do a second half like he did. He has had extraordinary energy and character. He is going to win the Ballon d’Or for what he did last year, not for tonight. This will already serve him for the next Ballon d’Or.”

Ancelotti also credited tactical adjustments for the turnaround, 

“After the break we changed the system and the team was more intense. In the first half we were more timid and it was quite clear what we had to do. The team did very well by putting in more intensity. It was the best second half of the season. We have to learn from everything that happened in the match. The second half has taught us a lot and can be a key moment of our season.”

Real Madrid sets new record with UEFA Super Cup, Mbappé's debut goal

Previously, TheRadar reported that as the European football season begins, Real Madrid wasted no time in reaffirming their European superiority with a 2-0 victory over last season’s Europa League winners, Atalanta, in the UEFA Super Cup. 

Kylian Mbappé, who made his much-anticipated debut on Wednesday, August 14, in Warsaw, Poland, found the back of the net after 68 minutes into his Real Madrid career.