A Brazil star is reportedly furious with his sponsor for giving him "old boots", so much so that he is now said to have filed a lawsuit against the company.
Having already made three goal contributions in three outings at the 2022 FIFA World Cup, Brazil attacker Vinicius Junior is flying high with his national team in Qatar.
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While he was in a jovial mood during the Selecao's 4-1 thrashing of South Korea on Monday night, during which he netted the opening goal, the 22-year-old is reported to be upset with his outfitter Nike.
According to O Globo, the Real Madrid star wants to terminate his deal, said to be worth £7 million (R147 million) a year, with the brand after the American company supplied him with old boots in the 2021/22 campaign.
Last season, the winger wore an older version of Nike's Mercurial boots during Los Blancos' UEFA Champions League-winning run, netting the winner in the final against Liverpool in May to hand Real their record 14th European title.
It is said that Vinicius feels mistreated by the US sportswear giant given that he is one of their biggest stars, and is believed to have instructed his lawyers, prior to the start of the World Cup already, to get him out of the deal, with a lawsuit being filed.
With his contract with Nike only due to expire in 2028, the lawsuit is understood to be an attempt to walk away from the relationship as soon as possible, with the player having also missed a number of the famous brand's company events he was expected to be present for.
Vinicius would likely not struggle to find a new boot sponsor if he does get out of the contract with Nike as he is already considered a highly marketable asset, boasting deals with companies such as EA Sports, Vivo, Casas Bahia, BetNacional, OneFootball, JetEngage, Golden Concept, Royaltiz and Pepsi.
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Vinicius was a vital player for Real in the midst of their two-trophy haul last season, recording 42 goals and assists in 52 appearances across all club competitions, form that saw him finish in eighth place for the 2022 Ballon d'Or.
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