... and Brazil have a red-hot young talent of their own
ALL eyes will be on Endrick at Wembley Stadium tonight. English eyes, keen to catch their first glimpse of a 17-year-old sensation poised to join Real Madrid from Palmeiras in a £52.5million deal struck in December 2022.
Brazilian eyes, wondering if this is the year when a young forward tipped to be the nation’s next top talent goes global, and if he can have an impact on world football like Neymar when he left Santos for Barcelona.
Wonderkids come and go in this part of the world. Some turn into bright stars. Others fade in time.
Endrick will move to Spain after he turns 18 in July. He is already a full Brazil international, called up for the first time in November, becoming the fourth-youngest man to pull on the famous shirt.
‘It has always been an ultimate dream to wear the Brazil jersey,’ Endrick told Mail Sport at the time. ‘Things have happened very quickly in my life and this is another dream come true. I can only thank my family, agents and Palmeiras, who have always believed in me.’
After tearing through the youth ranks in a blaze of goals he stepped into Palmeiras’ first team to make his debut at 16 and was involved in two consecutive Brazilian league titles, grabbing the attention with some spectacular goals.
Despite this, Endrick could not ensure Brazil qualified for the Paris Olympics. It will be the first time the two-time gold medallists are not involved in the competition.
It is Endrick’s strength at such a young age that surprises everyone who sees him play for the first time. He has a fierce left foot and the ability to create quick moves, and he is always going forward.
His style is not as beautiful as we have seen with other Brazilian silky superstars such as Ronaldinho and Neymar. A more direct comparison may be with Adriano or Ronaldo: more power and a little less magic.
If he can forge an effective partnership with vinicius Junior, now widely considered the best Brazilian footballer, it may produce the strong and effective spearhead Brazil need.
Fulham’s Andreas Pereira said of Endrick this week: ‘He has massive potential. I think the world has to look out for a big, big player.’
Endrick already has the trappings of superstardom, with an entourage of more than a dozen from chefs to physiotherapists, tactical analysts and marketing professionals. He has signed a four-year deal to be the face of New Balance boots.
At a time when Brazilian football craves a big idol who can connect with the fans there is hope he will seize the responsibility, though his career already has traces of being a little too choreographed. Despite having been fast- tracked into senior professional football he always seem to know the right thing to say. He does not provide the drama many crave in today’s sport with emotional declarations. He is clean and calculated and projects a good image.
Only when he laces his boots and walks on to the pitch do you have the feeling that things change. When he is close to goal, where he operates on instinct, it is possible to see the real Endrick.
With Richarlison rested from training ahead of the England game to manage his workload after injuries, there is a feeling that the 17-year-old will start in one of these friendlies against England at Wembley or against Spain in Real Madrid’s Bernabeu Stadium on Tuesday. Spanish eyes will be fixed on him there, too, especially those of the Madridistas.