Vinicius vs. JJ: young stars battle it out in skills challenge
The relationship between Real Madrid‘s Vinícius Júnior and numerous other American sports athletes continues to strengthen as a new video was released by the NFL showcasing an ultimate skills challenge featuring the Brazilian and Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson.
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In the video, the two stars face off in Vini’s native Rio de Janeiro in numerous skills challenges composed of their respective sports such as a crossbar challenge where both athletes used the two sets of footballs, 1v1s against each other, and a foot volley game.
Jefferson wasn’t free from humiliation though, as seen when he gets nutmegged in the 1v1 by his counterpart on numerous occasions in the challenge before hitting the “Griddy,” a dance that the wide receiver popularized during his time in Minnesota and that has since been copied by numerous soccer players around the world, including USMNT star Christian Pulisic.
Vini also got a feel of what it’s like playing on the gridiron by playing as a defensive back against Jefferson while suited in an NFL jersey, shoulder pads, and a helmet as he tried to catch a football — showcasing the different worlds of two of the most exciting young athletes in the world.
Despite the language barrier, the video also demonstrates the huge appreciation Jefferson has for Vini by going on to label him “the best soccer player alive.”
.@vinijr really nutmegged @JJettas2 and then hit the griddy 😂💀
Love this friendship.
Watch their full episode of #GameRecognizeGame: https://t.co/H5mEOV7zPC @NFLBrasil pic.twitter.com/RKWpDoN2r1
— NFL (@NFL) September 26, 2023
It also shows Vini’s huge admiration for North American sports over the years, as demonstrated by his collection of autographed NFL jerseys which includes Jefferson but also those of Tom Brady, JJ Watt, JuJu Smith-Schuster, Joe Burrow and Saquon Barkley.
The Brazilian forward has also been in attendance at numerous NFL and NBA games in the United States, befriending numerous players along the way which also shows that the relationship will continue to only get stronger.
