Vinicius Junior had a silvery smile when he landed at Madrid's Barajas airport in the summer, a couple of days after turning 18 years old.
His new employers, Real Madrid, were delighted to see him in such a positive mood. But after finally unveiling him to the fans, the team made a demand: The braces on his teeth had to go.
The Spanish giants were worried the Brazilian forward could get seriously hurt if he were hit by an elbow during a game, and he was a prized new asset they needed to protect.
The previous year, Real Madrid agreed to pay Rio de Janeiro side Flamengo an astonishing €45 million ($51 million)—and potentially €61 million ($69 million)—for Vinicius when he was still just 16.