The Salary Map: Who Earns What?
The picture is more complex than it appears. Both players were earning an equal fixed monthly salary of approximately €2.67 million gross. But Vinicius's contract includes an automatic escalation clause that kicks in from the 2026-27 season, which will lift his fixed monthly salary above Mbappé's figure.
The problem? Mbappé is still the highest-paid player at the club annually thanks to the massive signing bonus he received when he arrived on a free transfer from Paris Saint-Germain. That bonus does not count as monthly salary, but it creates a significant gap in the annual total.
Vinicius's team argues that the judgment should be on the total figure, not the monthly — and that is where the distance between the two sides begins.
Vinicius's Three Demands
Three main points have leaked from the renewal talks that the Brazilian's camp insists on:
First: A total annual salary that exceeds what Mbappé earns even including bonuses.
Second: A long-term contract that does not leave him anxious before every summer — his current deal expires in June 2027, putting him just one season away from a situation similar to Mbappé's when he arrived for free from Paris.
Third: A significant loyalty payment for his years of service — Vinicius has been at Real Madrid since 2018 and believes his long tenure deserves exceptional financial recognition.
Why Did Negotiations Break Down?
In May 2025, talks were in their final stages. Then they collapsed. The main stated reason: disagreement over bonus details and the structure of incentives. The Brazilian side describes what was offered as "a modest raise on a long contract," which they consider inappropriate given the current context.
Real Madrid, for its part, values Vinicius but does not want to create a precedent that destabilizes the squad's financial structure. Paying Vinicius more than Mbappé — even on paper — opens the door to discussions with the rest of the players.
The Situation Now: Waiting Until After the World Cup
Sources close to both parties indicate that serious negotiations will not resume before the end of the 2026 World Cup in July. The waiting strategy means Vinicius will enter next season with a contract expiring in June 2027 — a tight window that will force the club to make a decision regardless.
If negotiations resume without reaching an agreement, an alternative transfer scenario will surface immediately after the World Cup — and some reports hint that English clubs and Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund are not far from the picture.
Will Vinicius Leave the Bernabéu?
The question analysts increasingly ask: could Vinicius really leave? In 2024 he was close to a massive Saudi offer before pulling back. In 2025 rumours resurfaced and the story never concluded. Now in 2026 his contract is approaching its end and no agreement is in sight.
Vinicius has publicly stated he wants to stay in Madrid "for a long time" — but words are not a signature. And Real Madrid knows that losing its best player for free would be a scenario it could not explain to its supporters.
Summary
The quiet salary war at the Bernabéu between Vinicius and Mbappé reveals a tension that the club's official statements do not acknowledge. Vinicius's contract renewal file remains open and suspended until after the World Cup — and in football, everything suspended can be resolved in any direction. Real Madrid faces a management test just as much as a footballing one.
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