Real Madrid breezed past Chelsea in predictable fashion during their recent Champions League tie at the Bernabeu, and as expected, Vinicius Jr was in his element throughout the 90 minutes.
The talented Brazilian has accumulated a g/a of 37 in 45 appearances this season while displaying frequent flashes of his trickery along the way.
Despite being a reliable performer for Los Blancos for nearly 3 seasons now, the 22-year-old is yet to receive the credit he is due. But he certainly has a fan in Arsenal legend Thierry Henry.
The former France International was present on CBS Sports’ punditry panel for Madrid’s game against Chelsea, and he made sure to laud the Brazilian for his performance.
In the process of praising Vini, Henry ended up referencing a popular meme, and you’ll likely come across the clip of the moment for weeks to come.
Against the Blues, Vini was a constant menace down the left wing, as the Brazilian’s 1v1 ability left his opposite numbers bamboozled.
Despite having to deal with Wesley Fofana and Reece James, a venerable duo, Vini held his own remarkably well.
On multiple occasions, he left both players in the dust through his rapid pace, Fofana in particular had a difficult time against the 22-year-old.
The stats reflect a similar picture: aside from grabbing an assist, Vini completed 4 out of his 6 attempted dribbles while winning 8 out of 13 ground duels.
Spectating the brilliant performance from the CBS studio was Theirry Henry, who summed up the display through a single, memorable sentence.
The PL Hall of Famer began with an assertive ‘look’, before continuing: ‘ When I see Vinicius Jr on the ball, I can see what he is doing, I can see it, I feel it. I can…I can, he’s cooking’.
Thierry Henry just used the term "COOKING" to describe Vini
And just like that, Henry delivered prime meme material.
For the uninitiated, players who are performing at their imperious best are said to be ‘cooking’. Just a bit of Football Twitter lingo.
‘Cooking’ doesn’t necessarily relate to scoring goals or providing assists, instead, it could refer to some incredible take-ons, ridiculous first touches, or even exhibiting a certain ‘aura’.
The terminology has set Twitter ablaze as of late, and its usage has been relentless.
Seeing Henry giving it a pop led to a rather plausible theory, with many fans suggesting that the Arsenal Legend has a throwaway Twitter account, one that keeps him in check with the latest trends in meme culture.
Burner or not, Henry clearly knows what’s up, and he certainly got it spot on with his praise for Vini.
The Brazilian’s efforts helped Los Blancos in their 2-0 victory at home, and he will undoubtedly play a massive role in securing Madrid’s qualification at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday.
