- Social media users claim the Vinícius Júnior who played for Brazil against Australia on Friday was a lookalike, not the real player.
- The theory rests on his changed face after a non-surgical chin treatment in July, some tattoo "comparisons" and a poor 65-minute display.
- There is no evidence for it. What is real is his form: one goal in eight games for Real Madrid this season, though he scored a penalty in Brazil’s 4-2 win over Australia in Brisbane on Tuesday.
No, Vinícius Júnior has not been replaced by a double. Here’s the real gist
A cosmetic treatment, a flat night in Townsville and a flood of memes have produced football's strangest rumour of the month. The truth is less spooky: one of the world's best wingers is in the worst slump of his Real Madrid career.
Updated 13:22 WAT, 29 Sep 2026: Vinícius started and scored a penalty as Brazil beat Australia 4-2 in Brisbane on Tuesday. See "What happened in Brisbane" below. Vinícius Júnior has spent years being called many things by opposition fans. This month, a noisy corner of the internet came up with a new one: impostor. After Brazil's 1-1 draw with Australia…