FOR END THIS IS THE BEGINNING

BRAZILIAN teenage sensation Endrick emulated Ronaldo and Diego Maradona and then paid tribute to Sir Bobby Charlton following a stunning debut on the European stage.

The Palmeiras star, who will join Real Madrid in a £52million deal this summer, became the youngest man to score for either club or country at Wembley, aged 17 years and 246 days. He also became the youngest player to net for Brazil on the 30th anniversary of Ronaldo’s Selecao debut. Yet his squat stature and explosive speed are more reminiscent of Argentine great Maradona, who also scored a first international goal on British soil at Hampden Park in 1979 at the age of 18.

Brazil have won the World Cup five times while England’s sole triumph came at Wembley in 1966. And Endrick said: “Bobby Charlton is an idol here and, playing in the stadium that Bobby played in and scoring on the day that Ronaldo debuted are very important memories for me. My family is here, my girlfriend, my agents. I am not much of a crier and I am containing myself but this is something unique and I am very happy.”

The Brazilian came off the bench for only his third cap to tap home the winner and admitted his emotions prevented him scoring a second when Jordan Pickford saved his low shot in injury time.

“All of this affected me a little at the end, the chance I had at the end. I will not lie,” he said. “I was just thinking about scoring. I could only think about that. I couldn’t think about the match any longer.”

The debut win for new coach Dorival Junior ended a run of three defeats for a Brazil team still without the injured Neymar but now with a new superstar.

Former Arsenal and Brazil midfielder Gilberto Silva said: “At 17 Endrick has made history. I am happy for him and the team and especially for Dorival Junior because he came in as manager with a lot of expectation.

“This is what we expect from Brazil. The team played with personality.”