A theory has surfaced online that Vinícius Júnior was kidnapped and replaced by a lookalike

A conspiracy theory is gaining traction on social media alleging the kidnapping and murder of Real Madrid and Brazil national team forward Vinícius Júnior. Social media users claim that the player was allegedly replaced by a lookalike after the 2026 World Cup.

The latest wave of discussion was sparked by the player’s appearance at the Brazilian national team’s training camp ahead of their match against Australia.

 

Conspiracy theorists are convinced that the person in the photos and videos was not the real Vinícius Júnior, but his lookalike.

According to a theory circulating on Brazilian social media, the soccer player supposedly disappeared under mysterious circumstances after the 2026 World Cup, after which another person was allegedly hired to fulfill his endorsement contracts.

One piece of “evidence” cited by users is the absence of tattoos on his thighs, which, they claim, the real Vinícius has.

Supporters of the theory also point to the appearance of a beard and changes in the soccer player’s appearance, attributing these changes to an alleged switch.

As part of this conspiracy theory, social media users are putting forward various speculations about who might be behind the soccer player’s disappearance.

In particular, conspiracy theorists accuse the CIA, the Rothschild dynasty, and abstract “elites” of the kidnapping and murder of Vinícius Júnior.

At the same time, no evidence has been provided to support these claims.

Furthermore, neither Vinícius Júnior’s inner circle nor Real Madrid has responded to these conspiracy theories.

Thus, the information about the alleged kidnapping and replacement of the soccer player remains a conspiracy theory spread by social media users, rather than a confirmed fact.

Marca reports on the spread of this theory.

Earlier in Madrid, Real Madrid head coach José Mourinho defended Kylian Mbappé and Vinícius Júnior after home fans at the Bernabéu Stadium booed both players. The coach compared the players to fruit trees, which, according to a Portuguese proverb, are stoned precisely because they bear fruit.

Before Real Madrid’s match against Elche in the city of Elche, Spain, Kylian Mbappé, Vinícius Júnior, and Ibrahima Konaté pulled up their white jerseys to about chest level, partially covering the slogan in support of the residents of Ceuta.