The Rise Of “The Maestro”
Jamie Carragher heralded Vitinha as “the best midfielder in this year’s Champions League” after the 25-year-old produced one of the all-time midfield performances on the biggest stage. Thierry Henry considers the Portuguese so dominant that he often looks like he is “playing a different sport”.
Yet nearly five years ago, a fresh-faced Vitinha failed to break into Wolves’ midfield – starting just five league games across the 2020/21 campaign.
The struggle for minutes was the result of Joao Moutinho and Ruben Neves being an ever-present partnership in Nuno Espirito Santo’s 3-4-3, leaving no room for their compatriot in the first choice eleven.
So dominant was this pairing that each of his five league starts saw the then 20-year-old play as a number ten – in a far different role to his current one for PSG.
While Wolves decided against buying the Portuguese for £17 million at the end of his loan spell, there were glimpses of the technical ability and confidence that have become so synonymous with Vitinha today – shown below through his wonder goal against non-league Chorley in the FA Cup. It was his only goal in a Wolves shirt.
The midfielder returned to his boyhood club, Porto, and it was during this season that he started to realise his potential. He was integral as Porto won a domestic double and Vitinha claimed Young Player of the Year in Portugal.
It was after this season that PSG took a £34 million gamble on the midfielder, and despite struggling with the team’s imbalance (with Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe both leading the Parisian line), Luis Enrique’s arrival in June 2023 came with immediate praise for the youngster.
“He is perfectly suited to our playing style” were the words of the Spanish manager, and having enjoyed another season of development before dominating the midfield at Euro 2024, Vitinha has truly established himself as a world-class midfielder this campaign – and he is now called “the maestro” by his teammates.
How Vitinha Won The Final
So dominant were PSG in their Champions League final triumph that it’s difficult to argue a single factor as having been decisive. Desire Doue’s two goals mean he certainly claims responsibility for the largest tangible difference between his side and Inter. But Vitinha’s performance cannot be understated.
Not only was he everywhere, but he also played a vital part in two of PSG’s first three goals.
For Vitinha to receive the ball where he does and somehow see the pass into Doue is nothing short of world-class. He has found the smallest pocket of space, gone entirely against what Inter were anticipating, and opened up the whole game for his side.
And the best part is, that wasn’t his biggest contribution. PSG’s third goal (as shown below) is a perfect example of why Henry considers the 25-year-old to be “playing a different sport”.
Slide 1: Vitinha receives the ball and plays a quick one-two with Marquinhos, in order to find space. 
Slide 2: Vitinha receives the ball from Marquinhos and now has the space to turn. 
Slide 3: Vitinha turns and drives into space. 
Slide 4: With three Inter players closing him down, Vitinha slides the ball into Ousmane Dembele – who is now unmarked due to the Portuguese’ run. 
Slide 5: Dembele finds Vitinha, who has continued his run. 
Slide 6: Vitinha receives the ball again and drives towards goal. 
Slide 7: Vitinha plays a perfectly weighted through ball into Desire Doue. 
Slide 8: Doue scores to make the game 3-0.
Vitinha wasn’t just involved in the third goal, he was the heartbeat of it. And that rings true for the whole night: everything seemed to go through him.
His 89 touches and 72 passes were both the most of anyone on the pitch, and the constant flow of one-twos, of driving runs, and of technical brilliance was absolutely scintillating to watch.
The player who once floated around Wolves’ midfield as a spare part has become a conductor, shaping attacks with purpose and precision. This was a display of authority, not just artistry — the kind of performance that could mark the beginning of a truly special career at the very top level.
Key Stats (from sofascore.com)
- 89 Touches
- 72 Accurate Passes at 90% Success Rate
- 4 Key Passes
- 1 Big Chance Created
- 1 Assist
- 2 Crosses
- 2/2 Ground Duels Won
- 3 Tackles & Interceptions
Yet at its core, Vitinha’s performance was simple. The Portuguese was the embodiment of the phrase “pass and move” used by just about every grassroots football coach – or “Toco y me voy” as writer and coach Jamie Hamilton puts it.
PSG’s beautiful blend of relationist and positional football so perfectly suits their midfield maestro that Vitinha managed to make the game look easy on the biggest stage possible.
The 25-year-old said after the game: “It’s been a long way”. 1100 kilometres separate Chorley – where the Portuguese scored his sole Wolves goal – and Munich, but in a footballing sense, Vitinha has travelled much further than that over the past five years.
Pressing Issues 
Leave a comment