Real Madrid star Vinicius Jr. expressed his desire to return to his former club Flamengo “one day” during his visit to the Maracana stadium in Rio de Janeiro, reported by goal.com. The Brazilian forward took a break from football after the conclusion of the European season and attended the Flamengo-Vasco da Gama derby, which saw Flamengo emerge victorious with a 4-1 win.

During half-time, Vinicius Jr. took the pitch and was honored by both teams as they presented him with a jersey bearing his name and number. In an interview, Vinicius expressed his gratitude, saying, “It'll take a while, but I will be back one day (to Flamengo). Very happy to be here at Maracana, at Flamengo, and at a classic. Very happy for everything they did for me. That I can stand firm to continue the fight for those to come.”

The visit to Rio holds special significance for Vinicius, as he recently faced racial abuse while playing for Real Madrid in their 1-0 defeat against Valencia. In a powerful display of solidarity, both Flamengo and Cruzeiro sat down for the first 36 seconds of their Serie A clash, wearing t-shirts with a message against racism. The Flamengo players also wore jerseys with the words “All with Vinicius Jr” printed on them throughout the game, showing their support for the young forward.

Vinicius will soon shift his focus to international duty as he prepares to represent Brazil. He is set to face Guinea on June 17, followed by a match against Senegal three days later, which will take place in Barcelona and Lisbon, respectively.

While Vinicius enjoys his time off and reflects on his future, his heartfelt words about returning to Flamengo one day have sparked excitement among fans of the Brazilian club, who eagerly await the possibility of seeing their former star donning the Flamengo jersey once again.