Who is Flamengo's Vinicius Junior, the €45M teenager destined for Real Madrid?

Sao Goncalo is a rundown suburb of Rio de Janeiro. It's at the heart of Brazil's evangelical revolution and is adjacent to the polluted waters of Guanabara Bay. It's also where Vinicius Junior, the latest prodigy in Brazilian football, mastered the chapeu, a move that involves flicking the ball over an opponent's head in humiliating fashion.

Vinicius' story started in 2006. Coming from a humble family that was always able to put food on his plate, he was taken to one of Flamengo's 125 schools in Brazil. A seed was planted and, between 2007 and 2010, he played futsal at Canto do Rio, a famous club in Niteroi, south of Sao Goncalo and a short ferry ride away from Rio de Janeiro.

Blessed with the ability to dribble, Vinicius learned how to exploit tight spaces at Canto do Rio, and improved his agility and reflexes. He is a shining example of the value in futsal, and how it can unlock a footballer's potential at a young age.

(Photo courtesy: Globo Esporte)

In August 2010, Vinicius, keen to make the switch from futsal to football, tried out for Flamengo, where his father had taken him four years earlier. He made the cut.

Living no less than 70 kilometres away from the Ninho do Urubu, Flamengo's training centre, Vinicius' family was forced to adjust. His father worked in Sao Paulo in order to provide financial support, while his mother accompanied him to the upscale area of Gavea, from where he would take a bus to practice and back as she waited patiently.

As time went on, things became easier. The family purchased a van, allowing Vinicius to be driven straight to the Ninho do Urubu. He also spent some time living with a cousin in order to be closer to the training centre, before moving in with his parents and siblings in the western zone of Rio de Janeiro. There were changes on the pitch, too. It quickly became obvious that he was an attacker and not a left-back, as was written on his first-ever application for Flamengo.

(Photo courtesy: Globo Esporte)

Aware of the jewel in its possession, and anticipating harassment by European clubs, Flamengo signed Vinicius to a professional contract once he turned 16 years old. The Mengao did so just in time for this year's Sudamericano Sub 17, where he introduced himself to South America by scoring seven goals as Brazil won the tournament for a record 12th time. He was named as the best player and it wasn't even close. Not only did he finish as the top scorer, but he danced his way through the competition with moves as colourful as Rio de Janeiro's favelas.

In a game between Brazil and Paraguay, Vinicius produced three chapeus in quick succession and subsequently collected the ball with his right shoulder. If the move hadn't already been trademarked, it was trademarked right there and then.

On the first day of this year's Brasileirao Serie A, more than a decade since his father took him to Flamengo's school in Sao Goncalo, Vinicius finally made his professional debut, taking the pitch as the Mengao and Clube Atletico Mineiro played out a draw in front of over 40,000 people at the Maracana. He replaced Orlando Berrio in the second half and played 12 minutes, but, as Tim Vickery wrote for ESPN FC, "looked a little bit like a ball boy who had run onto the field when no one was looking."

It was an underwhelming debut. After receiving a massive roar as the players were announced prior to kick-off, Vinicius misdirected a cross and misplaced a back-heel. There were sadly no chapeus. Nervousness and anxiety prevented any kind of heroic christening. Nonetheless, he was all smiles once the game was over, his braces shining as he gave post-game interviews. He had shared the pitch with Robinho, who he listed as his idol on his first-ever application for Flamengo, and who was surrounded by the same level of hype as a teenager at Santos Futebol Clube.

Two days after Vinicius' professional debut, Flamengo announced the renewal of his contract, and his release clause was raised from €30 million to €45 million. Even in the age of globalised football, it feels like an exorbitant price tag. He's a teenager who can barely claim to have kicked a ball at the professional level. Under-17 football provides little, if any measure of a player's future. For all his skill, it's hard to justify the cost.

But Real Madrid is willing to roll the dice, and will reportedly pay €45 million for Vinicius' services, two-thirds of which will be paid up front while the other third is paid once he plays in Spain. He'll continue to develop at Flamengo until July 2019, at which point it will be time for him to abandon his comfort zone, stamp his passport, and travel more than 8,000 kilometres.

In Sao Goncalo, meanwhile, the locals will turn on their televisions and hope to witness a chapeu from the boy who outgrew the suburb.