Santiago Cañizares, who played for Real Madrid across two spells (1988–1992 and 1994–1998), has weighed in on Vinicius's recent performances, outlining what the Brazilian winger must do to reclaim his place at the club.
"He started running, started demanding the ball, started making constant demands... He started doing what a Real Madrid player must do to earn recognition from a club like Real Madrid," Cañizares said on Movistar+'s "La Casa del Fútbol" program.
Cañizares stressed that Vinicius "must return to all of that; the credit he accumulated before is simply not enough anymore."
The former goalkeeper added sarcastically: "'Let him play and see if he can find his form,' 'We'll revisit this tomorrow'..."
Santi Cañizares' earlier warning to Vinicius: "They've created a spoiled, narcissistic player."
Cañizares has recently taken aim at Vinicius's behavior, having cautioned on Radio Marca in May that the Brazilian falls short of "what a Real Madrid captain should be."
In December 2025, he remarked: "If we assess Vinicius's current output, his market value probably doesn't align with the figures being quoted. Neither does his individual contribution, nor that of most Real Madrid players right now."
In an October 2025 Radio Marca interview, he said: "They've created a spoiled, narcissistic player who takes more than he gives."
Cañizares also told Radio Marca in August 2025 that Vinicius had been struggling since missing out on the Ballon d'Or, entering a state of "shock."