According to the Daily Mail, Brazilian football star Vinicius Junior had just undergone facial contouring surgery after the World Cup's early exit from the tournament, and was subsequently photographed enjoying the sun on the beach with his girlfriend.
The Real Madrid player was spotted with his on-again, off-again girlfriend, Virginia Fonseca, on Recelba Beach in Rio de Janeiro. Cameras captured a close moment as Fonseca leaned in and kissed Vinicius. Fonseca also noticed the camera and smiled at the photographers. The couple enjoyed the sunshine ahead of the long season.
These photos surfaced hours after Vinicius Junior underwent a dramatic facial surgery. According to Brazilian media outlet TMC, after Brazil's defeat to Norway in the Round of 16, Vinicius and Fonseca took a short vacation in Europe before flying directly back to Brazil to see a dermatologist in Goiana. Photos of the 26-year-old's striking transformation after the surgery went viral on social media, leaving fans amazed by his dramatic change.
Fonseca shared a photo of the two of them at her new gym on social media on Monday – the two, who broke up before the World Cup, have apparently reconciled. A friend of Vinicius also uploaded a video of his new profile, in which he is signing a Real Madrid jersey for a fan. Another leaked photo shows Vinicius posing with his surgeon, Alessandro Alarcao. He underwent this "facial contouring surgery using fillers" to enhance the definition of his chin after being mercilessly mocked online during the World Cup. Judging from all the post-operative photos, the Real Madrid player is very happy with his new look, smiling throughout.
Fans on social media were shocked by the results of the surgery. One wrote, "My brain just can't accept that this is Vinicius now, I swear." Another joked, "I don't believe it unless I see him playing like this." A third said in bewilderment, "My God, who the hell is this?" A fourth commented, "My God, I don't recognize him at all." Another netizen wrote, "Vinicius is the first person in history to look like an AI version of himself."
Vinicius and Brazil experienced a frustrating World Cup, being eliminated by Norway in the Round of 16. They topped Group C but struggled after a disappointing draw against Morocco in their opening match. In the Round of 32 against Japan, they only managed a dramatic late winner in the 96th minute. Later in New Jersey, Ancelotti's team was dominated by Norway, with Haaland scoring twice to seal the victory and Neymar adding a consolation penalty in the final moments. Individually, Vinicius' World Cup wasn't a failure, as he scored four goals before Brazil's elimination. After the World Cup break, he will return to Madrid to begin preseason training in preparation for the 2026-27 season.
