FIFA World Cup 2026: Brazil striker Vinicius Jr meets iconic rapper Jay-Z

NEW YORK: Brazilian football superstar Vinicius Jr met legendary American rapper Jay-Z ahead of his side’s FIFA World Cup round of 16 clash against Norway.

Taking to his Instagram, Vinicius, who is signed to Roc Nation Sports, a sports management company founded by the rapper, posted a picture of one of the most iconic crossovers of sports and pop culture in this tournament.

During his side’s final league stage clash against Scotland, Vinicius Jr scored a brace which proved to be instrumental in sealing a round of 32 clash for the five-time champions with Japan, which they went on to win 2-1.

Against Scotland, Vinicius etched his name into the country’s football history by becoming the first Brazilian player in 24 years to score in each of his nation’s first three FIFA World Cup matches, matching a feat last achieved by Ronaldo Nazario and Rivaldo in 2002, as per ESPN FC’s X handle.

Overall, Vinicius Jr became only the fifth Brazilian player to score in the nation’s first three FIFA World Cup matches, following Jairzinho (1970), Romario (1994), and Ronaldo and Rivaldo (2002). Notably, Brazil went on to win the tournament on each of the previous three occasions.

So far in the tournament, Vinicius has delivered four goals and an assist and is amongst the contenders for the Golden Boot, with Argentina icon Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe (six goals each) at the top. Brazil will take on Norway in their round of 16 clash in New Jersey on July 6 at 1:30 am IST.

On the other hand, Jay-Z, one of the greatest rappers of all time, is basking in glory as his iconic debut album, ‘Reasonable Doubt’, has completed 30 years, having been released on June 25 in 1996, with guest appearances from Mary J Blige, the late Notorious B.I.G, Memphis Bleek, among others.

In coming years, Jay-Z would up his resume with numerous well-received, commercially fine-performing hip-hop albums such as ‘The Blueprint’ (2001), ‘The Black Album’ (2003), ‘The American Gangster’ (2007), etc. His collaborations with the likes of Kanye West, Beyonce, Eminem, Rihanna, Alicia Keys, once-rival rapper Nas, and 2010s-era stars like J. Cole, Drake, Kendrick Lamar, Frank Ocean, etc. made him a consistent and timeless presence on the charts and pop culture. His last studio album came out in 2017, titled 4:44, predominantly featuring production from Chicago producer No I.D.

Amid all the speculations from hip-hop media about a new album, Jay has something in store for the fans, as he is set to sit down with Rick Rubin for the eight-part documentary series “Jay-Z in 8”, debuting on HBO this fall.

Rubin is directing the series and will interview the rapper about his music, lyrics, life experiences and creative process. The two have a long history, as Rubin produced Jay-Z’s “99 Problems” for “The Black Album” in 2003, reported Variety.

‘Jay-Z in 8’, a Tetragrammaton production, will be executive produced by Shawn Carter, Daniel Kaluuya and Rubin. Producers include Leila Mattimore and David Rohde. HBO Max shared the teaser of the documentary on their Instagram handle. (ANI)