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Brazil star Vinicius Jr 'unrecognizable' after undergoing cosmetic procedure following World Cup exit
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Michelle H.
Real Madrid star Vinicius Junior has surprised fans after undergoing cosmetic facial surgery following his return from the 2026 World Cup.
The 26-year-old Brazilian forward reportedly decided to alter his appearance shortly after his national team was eliminated in the round of 16. The sudden change has left many supporters claiming that the athlete is completely unrecognizable.
Reports from Portuguese-language outlet TMC indicate that Vinicius Junior traveled straight to Goiânia to visit celebrity dermatologist Dr. Alessandro Alarcão after landing back in Brazil.
The media outlet revealed that the athlete underwent a chin harmonization procedure, which has drastically altered his facial structure. A recent photograph of the soccer player alongside his girlfriend, Virginia Fonseca, quickly captured the attention of fans online.
Details of the cosmetic procedure
According to cosmetic surgeon William Townley, a chin augmentation is typically performed to balance facial features and create more harmony within the face. This type of enhancement can be achieved either through surgical methods or non-surgically with fillers.
To avoid the lengthy recovery process that comes with a surgical operation, Vinicius Junior chose to use fillers to achieve his new look. In addition to the chin procedure, recent images suggest that the forward also received dental work, as his teeth appear noticeably straighter than before.
Fans react to the new look
Although the Brazilian news outlet indicated that the player hoped to keep the cosmetic changes low-key, images of his transformation quickly went viral across social media platforms.
On X, users expressed astonishment at his new appearance. One person wrote, "The before/after pics are wild, barely looks like the same person" after seeing a photo of the player supporting his girlfriend at the opening of her new gym.
Another fan commented, "My brain can't wrap itself around the fact that this is Vini Jr. now, I swear" while another joked, "Brother has to get another passport, those are two different faces".
The transformation was also visible in a video shared by the player's friend, Danilo Nascimento, which showed Vinicius Junior signing Real Madrid jerseys for fans. The footage highlighted a significantly more defined jawline from the side profile.
While the soccer star has not publicly discussed his decision to undergo the procedure, some online commentators speculated that the choice might stem from years of harsh comments regarding his looks.
On Reddit, one user expressed sympathy, stating, "Having thousand of people consistenly mocking you for Years must be absolutely terrible for someone's mental health, specially people consistenly go at Vini appearance".
Another added, "Honestly, I find this kind of sad. He has been called ugly his whole career and it definitely got to him".