The 18-year-old has cut short his summer holidays to join up with Carlo Ancelotti's squad as he aims to make his mark early in his Blancos career
Endrick only completed one pass in Brazil's Copa America quarter-final against Uruguay. Shepherded around the pitch and kicked every time he came near the ball, the Real Madrid-bound striker never really had a chance to affect play. The Selecao subsequently crashed out of a competition they are perennially expected to win, and Endrick took at least some of the blame.
So began the most important summer of the young man's career to date. Endrick has been under the microscope ever since he made official a €60 million (£50.7m/$65.2m) deal to sign for Madrid in December 2022. He may have spent nearly more 18 months in Brazil before being presented in Spain, but there has been nowhere to hide. And in his first major international moment, he fell flat.
Now, though, he has another chance. Madrid begin their pre-season tour of the United States this week, playing friendlies against AC Milan, Barcelona and Chelsea. The stakes are lower for Endrick than last time he played in America four weeks ago, but the upside might just be higher.
Endrick will be out to put on a show, especially since the likes of Kylian Mbappe and Jude Bellingham are sitting the tour out. But for a young player who needs to grow into the shirt of one of the world's biggest clubs, it also provides the perfect forum to learn on the job – and prove that he belongs in the Madrid first team.
Getty ImagesDelayed arrival
A few eyebrows were raised when Endrick signed for Madrid. He'd been subject to immense speculation across Europe, as a number of top clubs were linked with the young Brazilian. Then again, Los Blancos felt sort of inevitable, as South American scouting guru Juan Calafat was able to convince the forward to move to the Spanish capital.
Endrick would stay at Palmeiras until his 18th birthday, before joining up with Madrid. The teenager certainly wasn't ready for top-flight European football at the time; this was an investment meant to pay dividends for years to come. In the time since, he has fired his boyhood club to the Brasilerao title, shone in the Copa Libertadores and made an emphatic start to his senior international career, scoring three times in his first 10 appearances for the Selecao.
Such form convinced Madrid to rebuff loan interest in their new wonderkid and integrate him into Carlo Ancelotti's squad immediately, despite the attacking riches the Italian coach already has at his disposal.
AdvertisementGettyEmotional unveiling
The Santiago Bernabeu was packed for Endrick's unveiling on Friday. It has become traditional for the big Spanish clubs to reveal their new signings to the world before a full stadium, with Cristiano Ronaldo, Gareth Bale, and, most recently, Kylian Mbappe, all taking the acclaim of thousands of supporters inside the famous stadium.
It speaks to the excitement around Endrick that he followed in their footsteps. His introduction, though, was a more emotional affair as the 18-year-old struggled to fight back tears as he articulated the significance of his move.
"I have no words to describe what I’m feeling because I’ve always wanted to be here. I wanted to play for Real Madrid; it was my dream, and today it’s come true. I thank everyone," the teenager said.
GettyUnderwhelming Copa
Perhaps some of that emotion was brought on by Endrick's disappointing summer thus far. He was perhaps misused at Copa America, as Brazil travelled to the United States with a squad that lacked a recognised striker of any kind of international experience, with Madrid's Rodrygo the closest thing Dorival Jr had to a No.9.
It all seemed to set the stage for Endrick to shine. The teenager isn't necessarily a central focal point of an attack, but he seemed primed to operate in the middle for the Selecao. There was, indeed, something immensely enticing about having him play through the middle, with Rodrygo and Vinicius Jr on either side.
But the new Brazil manager didn't share that perspective. Dorival used Endrick sparingly, opting only to bring him in towards the end of the games – charging a child with making something happen in brief spells. And then, when Vinicius picked up a suspension for the quarter-finals due to yellow card accumulation, Endrick suddenly had to do everything.
Dorival deployed him as a central striker against Uruguay from the start, but what happened next was entirely predictable, as Endrick was marked out of the game by two physical centre-backs who made it their mission to clatter him at every opportunity.
To blame the player himself for the Selecao's Copa America exit would be unfair, but he certainly failed to deliver on the early hype.
Cesar Greco/Palmeiras/by CanonChance to shine
The world has perhaps lost touch, then, with what Endrick can truly offer. He was equally inconsistent for Palmeiras, going through spells of quality, while also endruing rough patches. These are, of course, the typical tribulations of most young players. Even €60m talents are supposed to experience all of these issues.
Still, despite those spells of tears on the bench, months without goals, and the constant skepticism of the footballing world, Endrick showed enough to prove Madrid were right to spend big. It was clear in weaving runs through helpless defences, in instinctive finishes. It was even clear in his moments of youthful aggression, the then-17-year-old flying into tackles and pushing the limits of what might be considered fair play.
Pre-season presents the perfect platform for Endrick to show that side of his play. Ancelotti will have a watchful eye – eyebrow raised and all – on what the teenager can do. But mistakes are allowed here. Those inevitable growing pains will happen naturally – and there's no better place for them than low-stakes situations.