Vitor Roque is the latest teenage prodigy to grab the spotlight in Europe. The Brazilian plays for Real Betis, on loan from Barcelona.
At the age of 10, Victor Roque played him at América Mineiro youth setup. His talent and skill were quickly observed moving him up the ranks to the Cruzeiro’s youth team in 2019, where to impress.
In 2021, Victor Roque made his professional debut for Cruzeiro, which was the beginning of a new chapter. Later he joined Athletico Paranaense making his experience not only navigated the side but also contributed to the team’s success. This grabbed the attention in Europe which paved the way for the transfer to La Liga giants Barcelona in 2024.
Early Life
Born to Hercília Roque Ferreira (Mother) and Juvenal Ferreira (Father), Victor was one of the two children. He has a sister with whom he shares a very strong bond.
Roque’s father set the bar for his success path, which played a massive role in the youngster’s success. Juvenal “Tigrão” Ferreira was a footballer himself playing for the state of Minas Gerais and his experience helped to massively build the foundation for Vitor’s career.
In the city of Timóteo, Brazil his house was built right in front of a local field where he spent his growing days. Later he went on to build a love for football. Roque’s parents’ earnings helped provide a fairly comfortable for the middle-class family.
Cruzeiro
In May 2021, Vitor Roque signed his first contract with Cruzeiro, making his debut in October. In the match, he replaced Bruno José as a second-half sub in a 0-0 Série B home draw against Botafogo. After 18 minutes, surprisingly, he was substituted again by Keké.
Next season he went on to be part of the first team and Roque scored his first goal against Cruzeiro in a 2-2 home draw against Villa Nova at the Campeonato Mineiro. In just three days, he grabbed a double in a 5-0 victory over Sergipe in the Copa do Brasil.
Athletico Paranaense
His goal-scoring prowess caught the attention of Brazilian Giants Athletico Paranaense with whom he signed a five-year deal worth 300 thousand euros in April 2022.
The youngster’s ability was growing as he went on to score 28 goals and provide 11 assists in only 81 appearances for the club. However, the fairytale moment came as a New Year’s present after he joined his dream club, Barcelona for a massive transfer fee of 40 million euros.
Barcelona
The move to Catalan supergiants Barcelona was a breakthrough moment for Vitor Roque. The financial circus at the club made the teenage sensation’s chances of joining the La Liga side pretty slim. According to reports by Mundo Deportivo, economic obstacles nearly put a hold on Roque’s transfer to Camp Nou. However, this meant that the 18-year-old could only join Barca if a first-team player was transferred or agreed to a salary reduction. Later, this whole fiasco came to an end, and Roque officially made his debut for the Spanish side as a sub against Las Palmas with a quarter of the game left to play. In January, he scored his first goal in a 1-0 win over Osasuna.
Betis Loan
The crisis at Barcelona continued leading to the 2024-25 season-long loan at Real Betis, with an option for a year extension.
| Club | Season | Appearances | Goals |
| Cruzeiro | 2021-22 | 16 | 6 |
| Athletico Paranaense | 2022-23 | 81 | 28 |
| Barcelona | 2023-24 | 16 | 2 |
| Real Betis | 2024-25* | 1 | 0 |
| Total | 114 | 36 | |
International career
Vitor Roque donned the colours of the Brazil national team for the first time under interim head coach Ramon Menezes, where he played in a friendly match against Morocco on March 2023. He later had 65 minutes of game time in a 2–1 defeat at the Ibn Batouta Stadium.
| Country | Year | Apps | Goals |
| Brazil* | 2023 | 1 | 0 |
| Total | 1 | 0 | |
Personal life
The 18-year-old married social media influencer Dayana Lins and his wife was seen cheering for the Barcelona star for most of the games. The surprising five-year age gap between the couple was not a hindrance in their dedicated love story as they seemed to be a match made in heaven.
Net Worth
As per reports Vitor Roque is projected to be worth around $12 million, while his market value stands at $43 million.
Honours
Athletico Paranaense
Campeonato Paranaense: 2023
Copa Libertadores runner-up: 2022Brazil U20
South American U-20 Championship: 2023
Individual
Copa Libertadores Team of the Tournament: 2022
South American U-20
Championship Top Scorer: 2023FAQ
Who is better Endrick or Vitor Roque?
Too early to debate
Is Vitor Roque leaving Barcelona?
Yes, he has joined Real Betis in loan
How many goals did Vitor Roque score for Barcelona?
2
Also Read:
Barcelona president explains decision to let Ilkay Gundogan rejoin Manchester City
Real Betis almost sign another Tottenham-esque player but couldn’t make it
Robert Lewandowski offered to lower wages for FC Barcelona