Football

Real Madrid's Vinicius Jr. has become the latest target of Saudi Arabia's ambitious sports investment strategy. The Saudi Public Investment Fund (PIF) has reportedly approached the Brazilian forward with a lucrative offer to join the Saudi Pro League (SPL) on a five-year contract.The offer, which arrived before Real Madrid's UEFA Super Cup clash with Atalanta, is said to be worth over one billion euros, including a fixed salary of 200 million euros per season and bonuses. Additionally, Vinicius would become an ambassador for the FIFA World Cup 2034, which Saudi Arabia is bidding to host.According to Reuters, Vinicius is open to considering the offer, which would make him one of the highest-paid players in the world. The 24-year-old has not dismissed the move and has allowed PIF to approach Real Madrid.Vinicius' camp believes that the offer should be carefully considered, despite his contract with Madrid running until 2027. The Saudi league has recently attracted several high-profile players, including Cristiano Ronaldo, Neymar, and Karim Benzema.PIF's interest in Vinicius is part of a broader strategy to invest in Saudi Arabia's sports sector. The fund owns 75% of the capital of the country's four premier clubs and has been actively pursuing top talent from around the world.If Vinicius accepts the offer, it would be a major coup for Saudi Arabia and a significant loss for Real Madrid. The Brazilian has been a key player for Los Blancos, helping them win the UEFA Champions League and La Liga titles in recent seasons.

Brazil's Vinicius Jr. emerged as the star of the show in their 4-1 Copa America victory over Paraguay, bouncing back from a lackluster performance in their tournament opener. The victory marked Brazil's first win in six competitive matches and their maiden competitive triumph under manager Dorival Jr., who took charge in January.From the outset, Vinicius' pace and trickery posed a constant threat to Paraguay down the left flank, a stark contrast to his ineffective display in Brazil's 0-0 draw with Costa Rica. Despite Brazil's strong start, Paraguay nearly took the lead in the 15th minute, but Damian Bobadilla's goal-bound effort was deflected off Eder Militao and nearly wrongfooted goalkeeper Alisson Becker.Brazil earned a penalty in the 28th minute for a handball, but Lucas Paqueta's spot-kick was wide of the mark. However, the midfielder made amends seven minutes later, setting up Vinicius with a first-time pass to cap off a flowing team move. Girona winger Savio doubled Brazil's advantage after pouncing on a rebound inside the box, before Vinicius diverted a clearance from Omar Alderete into the net for his second goal of the night in first-half stoppage time.Paraguay got a goal back after the break as Alderete netted a superb long-range effort, but any hopes of a comeback were swiftly dashed when Brazil were awarded a penalty in the 68th minute after a handball by Mathias Villasanti. Despite his earlier miss, Paqueta stepped up and made no mistake at the second time of asking to send Brazil's fans into delirium.Towards the end of the match, tempers flared and Andres Cubas was shown a red card after kicking out at Douglas Luiz, with Brazil using their man advantage to comfortably see out the game and clinch the three points.