Real Madrid superstar chasing Alfredo Di Stefano’s record as he takes a leadership role

Real Madrid superstar chasing Alfredo Di Stefano’s record as he takes a leadership role The new season is just around the corner with Real Madrid set to take on Espanyol in their season opener later this evening. It will be an important game for Vinicius Jr., who is heading into the new season with a fresh contract renewal and a leadership position, with the Brazilian serving as the club’s second captain. Aside from being a captain, Vinicius is also the most senior player in the Real Madrid team right now, in terms of appearances for the club. Chasing Di Stefano’s record As reported by MARCA , Vinicius enters the season having played 375 matches for Real Madrid, a tally that makes him the most experienced player in the current squad. All eyes on Vinicius. (Photo by Jose Manuel Alvarez Rey/Getty Images) That is just 21 short of Alfredo Di Stefano’s legendary total, a milestone the Brazilian is likely to approach before the turn of the year given his consistent game time under successive managers. The Brazilian international has outlasted the likes of Sergio Ramos, Casemiro, Karim Benzema, Toni Kroos and Luka Modric, all of whom departed the club since Vini arrived eight years ago. Now the second captain, the explosive forward has actually featured more than the two other captains in the team in Federico Valverde and Thibaut Courtois. More records on the horizon Should Vinicius see out his new contract, which runs until 2032, the numbers become even more staggering. Vinicius is playing a key leadership role in the team. (Photo by Denis Doyle/Getty Images) Based on his average of 47 appearances per season, projections suggest he could finish his Real Madrid career with 657 matches, a tally surpassed by only four players in the club’s history: Raul, Iker Casillas, Manolo Sanchis and Sergio Ramos. His goalscoring record is similarly impressive. Vinicius is already the top scorer in the current squad with 127 goals, comfortably ahead of Kylian Mbappe’s 86 in just two seasons. At his current average of 16 goals per campaign, he is projected to finish with 223, which would rank seventh on Real Madrid’s all-time list, For now, Vinicius’ focus will be to get Real Madrid off to a positive start to the season tonight against Espanyol.