Since Tuesday evening and his performance against Leverkusen, Vitinha has received a chorus of praise. On RMC Sport, Daniel Riolo describes him as “absolutely extraordinary player” And ” quite possibly the best midfielder in the world right now”. DembĂ©lĂ© speaks of a “maestro”Luis Enrique of a
“exceptional player”. Third in the 2024 Ballon d'Or, the Portuguese seems untouchable.
However, barely two years ago, these same voices were destroying him. The 40 million euro purchase from Porto? A financial pit.
The post-global collapse
Vitinha is off to a good start in the fall of 2022. More than 90% of successful passes, rapid adaptation alongside Verratti. Then comes the World Cup. Upon his return from Qatar, the Portuguese environment is no longer the same. It fades, becomes “too neutral”. Canal Supporters notes that he “still displays these impressive statistics, but with much less risk-taking”. The fear of making mistakes seems to suffocate him.
The low point comes in March 2023 against Bayern Munich. Eurosport bluntly headlines: “ Vitinha too soft: PSG missed a golden opportunity ». His soft shot in the first period, easily intercepted by De Ligt, symbolizes his decline. It's no longer the player who breaks the lines, it's a ghost on the pitch.
From “too soft” to “best middle in the world”, Vitinha’s revenge
Messi, Neymar and the pressure of the stars
In February 2023, L'Équipe reported a sentence from Messi in training:
“Not only are you weak, but you’re hurting me.” Vitinha will later deny X, but the signal is sent. Neymar would also have taken him to task a few weeks earlier in Monaco. The message is clear: you are no match.
Under Galtier, Vitinha has to cover too much ground defensively. The move to 4-3-3 prevents him from expressing his offensive game. In April 2023, the rumor of a departure is already growing.
Luis Enrique always believed in Vitinha
July 2023: the arrival of Luis Enrique shakes things up. Repositioned in his natural role, freed from unnecessary defensive tasks, Vitinha regains his level. From September, Maxifoot observes that we see
“a Vitinha much more at ease“. The rest is history: Champions League, third in the Ballon d'Or, indisputable metronome status.
And now Riolo and the others are praising him. The same people who buried him in 2023 cite him among the two best midfielders in the world with Pedri.
Vitinha has not changed between February 2023 and October 2025. What has changed is the context. And the amnesia of those who judged him.
