Vinicius Jr. Faces Tough Love from Julen Guerrero: Rediscover Your Hunger

Julen Guerrero has delivered a blunt message to Vinicius Jr.: find the hunger again, or risk drifting away from the level that once terrified defences across Europe.

The Real Madrid winger has stumbled through the opening weeks of the 2026/27 campaign, his performances a shadow of the explosive peak that made him the reference point of Madrid’s attack. The stepovers are still there, the pace too, but the edge – that relentless, ruthless edge – has dulled.

Guerrero, an icon at Athletic Bilbao and a sharp observer of La Liga’s rhythms, believes the problem runs deeper than a few missed chances or a dip in statistics. For him, this is about attitude.

“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,” he 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.”

It is a harsh assessment, but one that matches what Madrid fans have seen: flashes of the old Vinicius, but not the constant menace that once pinned full-backs back and stretched entire back lines.

Mbappé not the answer on the left

When a star dips, the instinct is to look for a replacement. At Real Madrid, that usually means one name: Kylian Mbappé. Yet Guerrero is adamant the Frenchman is not the solution to Vinicius’ struggles 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,” he explained.

Mbappé, in Guerrero’s eyes, lives for the penalty area, not the touchline.

“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.”

So the message is clear: the left wing is still Vinicius’ territory. Mourinho, Guerrero suggests, will keep backing him, expecting the Brazilian to rediscover the intensity and defensive work that once balanced his attacking chaos.

The responsibility, then, sits squarely on Vinicius’ shoulders. The place in the team is there. The trust is there. The form is not.

Madrid’s bad habit: switching off

Guerrero did not stop at individuals. He pointed to a broader concern after Real Madrid’s wild 3-2 win over Elche, a match that exposed old frailties beneath the three points.

Madrid cruised into a two-goal lead and looked in complete control. Then they relaxed. Elche grew. The game flipped. What should have been a routine win turned into a late rescue job, with Carlos Espí bailing them out in stoppage time.

“What's most concerning is their switching off,” Guerrero warned. “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.”

That is the paradox of this Madrid side: enormous talent, huge attacking weapons, but a tendency to drift when the game seems safe. It cost them in past seasons. Guerrero sees the same danger creeping back in.

Between a star winger searching for his fire and a team that still nods off at key moments, Mourinho has problems to solve. The shirt on the left wing is still Vinicius’. The league is long. The question now is simple: does he still burn to be the player who once owned that touchline?