Vinicius Jr: bizarre conspiracy theory claims Real Madrid forward was replaced by lookalike

Vinicius Junior’s difficult season has prompted an extraordinary conspiracy theory in Brazil claiming the Real Madrid forward disappeared and was replaced by a double to honour his advertising commitments.

The theory has spread widely on social media in recent days, to the extent that Spanish newspaper Marca has addressed it. Vinicius is reportedly producing below his usual level and is at risk of losing his place in the starting line-up used by Portuguese manager Jose Mourinho.

Some online users claim the player seen during Brazil’s training camp and in the match against Australia is not the real Vinicius. Their main piece of supposed evidence is that “Brazil Vinicius” does not have the tattoo seen on the thigh of “Real Madrid Vinicius”.

The claims were initially shared particularly widely in Brazil, with the theory emerging mainly on forums and TikTok accounts during September. Posts have also pointed to changes in the appearance of Vinicius’ face as alleged proof that he has been replaced.

Marca reported that an even more extreme version of the story alleges that the CIA, the Rothschild family and “the elites” killed Vinicius and substituted him after the World Cup.

The Rothschild family is described in the report as an influential European dynasty of German-Jewish origin that established major banking and financial institutions in the late 18th century.

The speculation has since taken an extraterrestrial turn. Some users have linked the forward’s physical transformation and the supposed appearance of a lookalike to an alleged alien invasion during the World Cup, claiming that Vinicius and Neymar were abducted.

Brazilian seer Fu Bahiana contributed to the claims in a video that was widely circulated around the world. She said: “I have to tell you that I dreamed again of extraterrestrials invading a football stadium in Miami. I saw clearly how they abducted the players aboard the first ship that arrived. I was inside that ship. When I got on, the mothership arrived and abducted thousands of people from the stadium. I saw screaming, crying and unimaginable suffering.”

A social media post promoting the theory described it as a claim that Vinicius had “disappeared in mysterious circumstances” and been replaced by a lookalike so his advertising contracts could continue.

The story has been dismissed by those close to the player and by Real Madrid. Marca concluded that both groups were completely ignoring the “meaningless false stories and news” that had appeared online.