Sol Phenduka Responds to Thomas Mlambo’s Take on Real Madrid Star Vinicius Junior’s New Face

• South African broadcaster Sol Phenduka sparked debate after responding to sports anchor Thomas Mlambo's take on Vinicius Junior's cosmetic procedure
• Vini Jr reportedly underwent a chin-defining treatment at a specialist clinic in Brazil following the FIFA World Cup
• Mzansi and football fans clashed online over whether the Real Madrid star's decision to go under the needle deserved the backlash he received

South African broadcaster Sol Phenduka has entered the conversation around Brazilian football star Vinicius Junior's recent cosmetic procedure, suggesting the Real Madrid winger may have had deeper personal reasons for going under the knife beyond the public ridicule he has faced.

The debate kicked off on 21 July 2026 when sports anchor Thomas Mlambo posted his thoughts on X, writing that he felt for Vini Jr — a player who was mocked for his appearance and then mocked again after attempting to address it. Responding directly to Mlambo's post, Sol Phenduka offered his own interpretation:

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"Maybe HE just never liked how he looked, even without the bullying."

Read the post that started the debate below:

How did Vini Jr get a new face?

According to the New York Post, which cited Brazilian celebrity outlet TMC, Vinicius Junior visited a specialist medical clinic in the Brazilian city of Goiânia. There, renowned dermatologist and cosmetic doctor Dr Alessandro Alarcão performed a chin-defining procedure on the footballer.

The treatment involved injecting substances designed to sculpt and reshape the facial structure, with the goal of making his chin area more pronounced and sharply defined. The change became noticeable when comparing photos of Vini Jr from before and after the recent FIFA World Cup.

The 24-year-old has long been a target of racial abuse and mockery during his career in Europe, making Mlambo's comments about the pressures of life in the spotlight resonate with many fans online.

Mzansi reacts to Vinicious Junior's new face

Reactions from South African and African football fans were mixed, with some defending the winger's right to make his own choices and others questioning the timing and deeper motivations.

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@uncqrblsoul asked:

"Why only do something about it now then? He could've done it 5 years ago at least, if that was truly the case."

@_bigboynash argued:

"Girls do it all the time, I don't get what the fuss is about if he wasn't happy about something on his body. 🤷🏾‍♂️"

@Masuk3la said:

"We can all have an opinion on how he looks, but we all don't know why he did it.. so let's shut the f up."

@iSauce_man94 offered a sharper take:

"He was bullied I swear, but now he has opened another can of worse. Women will have a field day with and the Brazilian teammates who bullied him will still bully him. Mbappe was called a teenage mutant ninja turtle but never tried to change how he looks."

@DarwinNunezStan alleged:

"You can relate I understand."

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Meanwhile, Briefly News previously reported that Sizwe Dhlomo's response to Gayton McKenzie's R31 million World Cup expenses ignited debate.

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Public reactions were divided on transparency versus the necessity of spending for the FIFA World Cup delegation.

Source: Briefly News