Vinicius Jr. Must Rediscover His Ambition, Warns Julen Guerrero
Julen Guerrero has delivered a sharp warning to Vinicius Jr., insisting the Brazilian must rediscover the edge that once made him one of Real Madrid’s most terrifying weapons.
The former Athletic Bilbao icon sees a very different player to the one who shredded defences at his peak.
“He doesn’t have the same ambition”
Vinicius has stumbled through an uneven start to the 2026/27 campaign, his influence dipping well below the devastating standards he set in previous seasons. The numbers are down, but for Guerrero, the real problem lies deeper than statistics.
“Vinicius doesn't seem to have the same ambition and desire as before, the drive to attack, to take on defenders, to do all the things he does so well,” Guerrero said, speaking to Defensa Central.
“He seems more complacent and is making a lot of mistakes. He needs to rediscover the joy of wanting to be number 1, as he has wanted to be for so long.
“Right now, he's far from his best form.”
The criticism hits at the heart of Vinicius’ game: his relentlessness. There are still flashes of the old chaos, the sudden acceleration, the sharp cut inside. But they come in bursts now, not waves. The fear factor has faded.
Mbappé is not the answer on the left
Under Jose Mourinho, Vinicius still enjoys trust and minutes, and Guerrero expects that to continue. One key reason: he does not see Kylian Mbappé as a like-for-like solution on the left flank.
“I don't see Mbappe on the left. I think Mourinho wants to get Vinicius back to his defensive role, and I don't think Mbappé is suited for that,” Guerrero argued.
“He’s focused on goals, on being up front, and resting when he doesn't have the ball. That's why Mourinho doesn't see him playing alongside Espi.
“I see him more as an attacking midfielder with freedom, with Espí pinning the centre-backs, than on the left. In his mind, he wants to stay up front. In any case, that position belongs to Bellingham.”
It leaves Vinicius at a crossroads. The left side is still his territory, but his finishing has been erratic and his decision-making loose. Mourinho wants work rate and structure off the ball. Guerrero’s message is clear: if Vinicius wants to keep that spot, he has to bring back the hunger that once defined him.
Madrid’s dangerous habit
Guerrero’s concerns do not stop at one player. He sees a wider problem running through this Madrid side, one that was laid bare in their chaotic 3-2 win over Elche.
Madrid led by two and looked in cruise control. Then they switched off.
“What's most concerning is their switching off,” Guerrero said. “The first half was comfortable, without playing excellent football, but with everything under control.
“They didn't press high, nor did they seem to have tremendous ambition. Elche combined quite comfortably, but Madrid has much more firepower.”
The warning is stark. A team with this much talent should not be drifting through games, waiting for moments rather than imposing themselves. Carlos Espí bailed them out in stoppage time, but Madrid cannot rely on late rescues forever.
For Vinicius, for Mbappé, for Mourinho’s entire project, the message is the same: complacency is creeping in. The question now is whether Madrid’s stars still have the appetite to crush opponents the way they once did.
