Vinicius Junior has enjoyed a "meteoric" rise at Real Madrid but Mauro Silva believes the Brazil winger could still get better with the world "yet to see the best" from him.
The Los Blancos forward soon became a fan favourite in Madrid after scoring three times in his first five games of the 2020-21 season, following his 2018 transfer from Flamengo as a 16-year-old.
While Vinicius only managed three goals and four assists in his next 44 games for Los Blancos, the 23-year-old helped Madrid to the LaLiga and Champions League double in the 2021-22 term.
Vinicius continued to shine in the Spanish capital last campaign, contributing to 42 goals across all competitions (23G, 19A) – only Mohamed Salah (46), Kylian Mbappe (50) and Erling Haaland (61) managed more in Europe's top five leagues.
That illustrious list of regular Ballon d'Or contenders – and Europe's top marksmen – only serves to purvey the quality of Vinicius, whose progression was hailed by Silva.
"What is clear is that the evolution and the progression of Vinicius Junior in recent times has been meteoric," Silva, a former Brazilian international midfielder, told Stats Perform at the Thinking Football Summit.
"When he arrived at Madrid he was questioned a lot, there were a lot of doubts and he was able to progress, he had a great evolution.
"He is a very young player, with a great future, it is clear. I still think we are yet to see the best of Vinicius Junior.
"He is a player who, at his age, has a lot to progress, to improve on and also perhaps [develop] as a striker, because in recent games he got used to being there but improving at scoring goals is fundamental."
Silva believes Madrid head coach Carlo Ancelotti has been key to Vinicius' development.
"You can see the confidence, you can also see Ancelotti's work when it comes to working on this footballer's self-esteem and confidence," the ex-Deportivo player added.
"But what is clear is that he has a great future and it is difficult right now to say how far he can go.
"I hope he can fight with Neymar to be among the great footballers of Brazil.
"In a team like Madrid and with the pressure they have and with the demands they have, that such a young player is capable of doing what Vinicius is doing makes us think that he could go very, very far."
Ancelotti's future at Madrid has come under regular speculation, with suggestions the Italian remains a target of the Brazilian national team – a move that Silva would welcome.
"It is clear that Ancelotti is one of the best coaches in the world. And when you are looking at a coach, I honestly don't think you have to take into account his passport or his nationality," Silva continued.
"If you think that the game model fits in Brazil, and in this case Ancelotti, the relationship he has with Brazilian soccer players, the ability to adapt that he has shown throughout his career, winning titles in all countries, well, it makes him as one of the best in the world at the moment, along with [Pep] Guardiola, with [Jurgen] Klopp.
"A coach of this level is capable of making a team like the Brazilian one, with the players they have, with the football culture that exists around them.
"Ancelotti [already] has a lot of relationships with Brazilian footballers, [he has had it] throughout his entire career, [all these things] makes us think that he could do a great job with Brazil."
Everton 1-0 Brentford: Toffees join Bees in ensuring Premier League status
Everton made mathematically certain of remaining in the Premier League on Saturday as Idrissa Gueye's goal handed them a 1-0 home win over Brentford, who are also safe after Luton Town's earlier loss to Wolves.
Luton's 2-1 defeat at Molineux meant Brentford's slim fears of relegation were behind them before kick-off, while Everton knew a third straight victory would also secure their place in the top flight for next season.
The Toffees' old wastefulness was on show in the first half, but Gueye powered home 15 minutes into the second period to hand them a third Goodison Park triumph in the space of six days.
The result saw Sean Dyche's men climb above their visitors to go 15th in the table, one place and point clear of Brentford, who can also plan ahead for 2024-25 in the top flight after pulling clear of danger.
Everton were without Dominic Calvert-Lewin through illness and Beto due to the head injury he suffered against Nottingham Forest. Their absences were felt when the first chance fell their way after six minutes, Youssef Chermiti failing to get a touch on McNeil's tempting cross.
Mathias Jensen had Brentford's first sight of goal 20 minutes in following good work from Vitaly Janelt, but in-form defender Jarrad Branthwaite denied him with a huge block.
The best opportunity of a low-key opening period, though, fell to Abdoulaye Doucoure, who sent an awkward volley spinning well wide after finding space on the stroke of half-time.
Brentford should have gone ahead within five minutes of the restart, but Jordan Pickford brilliantly smothered Ivan Toney's shot when his England team-mate looked destined to tap home at the far post.
McNeil then rattled the crossbar from range as Everton turned up the pressure, and they made the breakthrough on the hour.
Gueye fired into the top-left corner after Brentford failed to clear following a goalmouth scramble, with the goal confirmed by VAR amid questions about a subjective offside.
Keane Lewis-Potter worked Pickford from the edge of the box, but that was as close as Thomas Frank's men came to an equaliser, and Everton almost had a second when James Garner's free-kick struck the bar in stoppage time.
Everton rescue act complete
When Everton welcomed Burnley to Goodison Park on April 6th, they remained in severe danger of seeing a chastening campaign end in relegation.
However, a run of four wins in five games – the most memorable being Wednesday's 2-0 triumph over Merseyside rivals Liverpool – has dragged the Toffees clear and ensured there will be no repeat of last year, when they remained at the highest level by the skin of the teeth on a nervy final day.
Having earned their first win of the campaign against Brentford back in September, Everton have also done the double over the Bees for just the second time, previously beating them home and away in the second tier back in 1952-53.
Toney struggles continue
While Brentford had enjoyed a resurgence of their own prior to Saturday's game, beating Sheffield United 2-0 and Luton 5-1 in their last two matches, both of those victories came without injured striker Toney.
He returned to the Bees' lineup here but was uncharacteristically quiet, failing to beat Pickford when presented with the visitors' best chance shortly after half-time.
Toney has now failed to score in his last eight Premier League matches, his longest ever run without a goal in the competition. With Ollie Watkins and Dominic Solanke in fine form as Gareth Southgate prepares to name his England squad for Euro 2024, his barren spell has come at a poor time.
Juventus 0-0 Milan: Goalless draw ensures Rossoneri retain grip on second
Juventus and Milan played out a 0-0 draw at a sold-out Allianz Stadium in Serie A on Saturday, with both sides still seeking to secure Champions League spots for next season.
Midfielder Filip Kostic and striker Arkadiusz Milik had great chances to give Juventus the lead in the second half but Milan goalkeeper Marco Sportiello showed off his skills to keep their attempts out.
The Rossoneri finished the game without a shot on target as the contest finished goalless, leaving the sides to share the spoils.
Milan remain second in the standings on 70 points while Juventus remain third on 65, after Inter sealed the title on Monday.
‘Too many draws have cost us’ – De Zerbi
Roberto De Zerbi has highlighted too many draws as Brighton’s problem this season while looking ahead to their trip to Bournemouth on Sunday.
The Seagulls suffered a heavy 4-0 defeat to title-hopefuls Manchester City on Thursday, extending their winless run to five games.
Despite sitting in 12th, Brighton still have an outside chance of getting a European place next season, though they would have to win all five of their remaining matches against teams above them in the table.
Asked how his side will approach a tough fixture list at the end of the season, De Zerbi said: “It’s not a good thing we’re playing teams above us. We should be better. Chelsea and Bournemouth are very close with us, and we have the chance to win the game and fight to reach the highest position we can.
“We’ve had too many draws. For sure we can lose 11 games in this moment, but we could win more games. Sometimes I think what I could do better to win more games, but it’s tough because we drew a lot, shooting a lot of times on goal without scoring, especially at home.”
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