Grêmio striker Carlos Vinícius credits a harsh lesson from his Tottenham days with keeping him grounded as his Brazilian form soars.
With nine goals in nine games this year, the former Spurs and Fulham man proves that a daily reset button – learnt from Harry Kane – keeps the mind sharp and the feet sharper.
Kane’s lesson, still paying dividends
It’s not the first time Vinícius has spoken admiringly of Kane. In an interview last year, he reflected on the Spurs striker’s defining quality: relentless consistency. The ability to score a hat-trick one day and turn up the next as though nothing extraordinary had happened.
Now, in a new interview with Brazilian outlet Globo Esporte, Vinícius revealed how deeply those Tottenham lessons have embedded themselves.
“What makes us lose focus is letting ourselves get carried away by the moment,” he explained. “In football, you have to prove yourself every two days. I celebrate, yes, I give myself 24 hours, but then I have to leave it behind. I picked that up from Kane at Spurs.”
From struggling in England to flying in Brazil
That mentality has settled nicely in Porto Alegre. Since joining Grêmio in July as a free agent from Fulham, Vinícius has scored 21 goals in 23 appearances.
For context, he managed only eight in 48 appearances for Fulham across 2022-2024. For Tottenham, he bagged 10 goals in 22 matches – not a bad record, but it’s hard to compete for the starting spot with Harry Kane. Either way, his time in the Premier League now feels like a distant chapter.
By the end of 2025, Vinícius finished the Brazilian league as Grêmio’s top scorer. He had 12 goals in just 14 matches. He ended the year as one of the competition’s breakout stories. The momentum has simply continued into 2026.
The difference, Vinícius suggested, lies partly in feeling at home. After eight years in Europe – including spells at Tottenham, Fulham and Benfica – the striker returned to Brazil last year.
His family craved the familiarity. “When people embrace you off the pitch, things run well on the pitch because connections start to develop,” he said. “Coming back to my country makes it easier. The language, the culture…“
Eyes on the World Cup
That comfort extends to his contract situation. Grêmio’s deal includes an automatic renewal clause for 2027 should he feature in the 2026 World Cup.
He can play for either Brazil or Portugal, where he gained citizenship and developed early. The current contract runs until the end of 2026, but the Copa looms large.
Carlo Ancelotti, Brazil’s coach, has watched Vinícius twice already this season. Roberto Martínez still, When asked about a possible call-up, Vinícius grinned: “That would be top, to finish with a flourish!”
His approach is characteristically level-headed. “For me it’s very straightforward,” he said. “The highest point for any footballer is defending your country. I have to focus 100 per cent on the club, because I know that will open that door.”
No pressure, then. Just nine goals in nine games and lessons learnt the hard way in English football.
