Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois has backed Vinicius Junior to recover his form, pointing out that even Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo have faced criticism during their careers.

Vinicius was visibly disappointed when he was substituted during Real Madrid’s 4-1 UEFA Champions League victory over RB Leipzig. The Brazilian was taken off with 20 minutes remaining and replaced by club-record signing Yan Diomande.

Diomande made an immediate impact, providing the assist for Kylian Mbappe before scoring an outstanding goal himself to open his European account for Los Blancos.

The match came during an uneven start to the 2026/27 campaign for Vinicius. He has scored only once in all competitions so far, having found the net more than 20 times in each of the previous five seasons.

Courtois said the 26-year-old remained capable of returning to his highest level and urged both the team and supporters to help him do so.

“I think he's still looking to find his best form. I'm sure he'll get there with the support of the team and the fans,” Courtois said.

“He played against Leipzig. He created chances, he was dangerous, and in the end, things don't always go your way.”

Vinicius has been a regular presence for Real Madrid over the past nine years, and Courtois stressed that such a demanding run of appearances could also explain why the forward is seeking his rhythm.

“A player who's at his best every season - I only know of two, Cristiano and Messi, who I've seen at their best almost every year, and even they've been criticised at times, two of the greatest in history,” he added.

“Vinicius has played almost every game for nine years, that's why we have to help him find his best form.”

The comments came after a match in which Vinicius was unable to add to his season’s goal tally, while Diomande scored on his European debut for Real Madrid after coming on for the final stages.