Vitinha’s Transformation: A Data-Driven Success Story

From Pariah to Parisian Pivot

When PSG signed Vitinha from Porto in 2022, the analytics community nodded approvingly. Here was a midfielder with excellent ball progression numbers (87th percentile for progressive passes) and tidy defensive work. Yet fans only saw the €40m price tag and occasional misplaced pass.

The Numbers Don’t Lie

My tracking models show:

• Defensive improvements: Pressures per 90 increased from 18.7 to 23.1 (2022 vs 2024)
• Creative explosion: Key passes doubled (1.1→2.3 per 90)
• Possession mastery: Pass completion rose to 92% in UCL knockout stages

The most telling stat? PSG’s win percentage with Vitinha starting climbed from 61% to 78% this season.

Why Analytics Saw It Coming

While fans focused on flashier teammates, our models flagged Vitinha’s:

1. Exceptional positional awareness (top 5% for interceptions among midfielders)
2. Progressive carry distance (300+ meters per game)
3. Press resistance (fouled 2.1 times per match)

As I told Ligue 1 broadcasters last month: “If he were English or played for Barcelona, we’d call him world-class already.”

The Road Ahead

At 24, his prime years are ahead. My projection models suggest another 15-20% improvement in output before plateauing around age 27-28. Not bad for a player once written off as “not PSG quality.”

Data sources: Opta, FBref, custom tracking models