Real Madrid’s new marquee teenage signing has ended the season in style after enduring a rough few months

In October 2022, Endrick was the hottest commodity in Brazilian football. The forward, then 16, made his top-flight debut for league winners Palmeiras after years of impressing for the club’s youth sides. Later that month, he bagged a brace against Athletico Paranaense to become the youngest goalscorer in Brazilian Serie A history.

He wasn’t exactly unknown – Real Madrid had been pursuing Endrick for nearly a year – but Endrick seemed to be on the verge of superstardom. Los Blancos, accordingly, pounced as soon as Palmeiras were willing to negotiate, paying the Brazilian club €60 million (£52m/$64m) to secure his services starting in summer 2024 – a record fee for a Brasilerao side.

And it’s been something of a mixed year since then. Endrick endured a miserable start to the campaign and experienced a middling few months. But recently, though, the teenager has come alive, and looked like the future star many expect him to become.

Getty ImagesDecember 2022: Madrid make their move

After much speculation – and lengthy transfer pursuit from a number of Europe’s top clubs – Madrid sealed the signature of Palmeiras’ hottest prospect during the 2022 World Cup. They shelled out €60m (£52m/$64m) for the youngster, coordinating with the same scout who found Vinicius Jr, Rodrygo and Federico Valverde to seal the deal.

It didn’t matter that the teenager had only made his first team debut two months previously. Madrid had been working on the transfer for years, and paid a premium to get their man.

Getty ImagesJanuary 2023: Palmeiras sell key players

Still, the 16-year-old wasn’t guaranteed to be a first team regular. Far from it. Palmeiras had a number of more experienced options who seemed likely to keep Endrick out of the side, stunting his growth before it could properly begin.

But that changed with the sales of Danilo and Gustavo Scarpa to Nottingham Forest in January. Although neither was an out-and-out striker, they shouldered a solid chunk of attacking load. Their departures, then, opened a spot for Endrick to thrive.

Spring 2023: Extended goal drought

But it didn’t go smoothly for the teenager. Endrick’s struggles started almost immediately after he agreed a deal with Madrid, the 16-year-old embarking on a lengthy goalless spell. Most of it seemed to be self-inflicted, as Endrick looked like he was trying to do too much for his team.

The numbers were undoubtedly concerning, though. Endrick started eight of 10 games to open the season, failed to register a goal contribution, and missed four big chances. It mattered little that his side were struggling without attacking talent around the youngster; this was a soon-to-be Real Madrid player who simply couldn’t find the back of the net.

Getty ImagesApril 2023: Hitting out at Pele talk

Despite his struggles, Endrick’s profile only continued to rise. He had been burdened with Gabriel Jesus comparisons from a young age, given his relatively short stature and powerful frame. Endrick himself admitted that he was neither a pure No.9 nor a No.10, only increasing the scrutiny on his development.

Brazilian media didn’t help his case, either. A number of publications, as well as the toxic world of the internet, had readily dubbed Endrick ‘the new Pele’, a notion that he was quick to reject.

“Sometimes I ask myself: Why are there so many stories about me?” Endrick said in an interview with GQ in Brazil. “I didn’t ask for this. There are situations that cross a line. ‘Ah, he’s the new Pele.’ Man, nobody is going to be Pele, he’s the king of football.”

April 2023: Drought over

But his performances soon picked up. Endrick’s goal drought extended to 12 games, but April represented something of a turning point. He was slowly phased back into the side by Ferreira, and rewarded the manager’s patience with a series of solid performances to open the Serie A campaign. He bagged three in his first four games, and scored the first goal of the top-flight season with a neat finish.

More impressive, though, was the return of his confidence. Of particular note was an impressive run and shimmy through the Agua Santa defence in the Paulista Championship Final – a brief moment that showed, if nothing else, that there was still a great player in there.

 

Cesar Greco/SE PalmeirasMay 2023: Club-vs-country war

Still, there were ongoing issues. Endrick clashed with his own club as they refused to release him for the Under-20 World Cup despite the striker’s public request to join the Selecao for the tournament in Argentina.

Fellow starlet, and soon-to-be Barcelona player, Vitor Roque was also denied the chance by his club Athletico Paranaense. The duo figured to be crucial to the Brazilian cause in the tournament, just a few months removed from their win of the U20 Copa America. Brazil won their group, but went out in the quarter-finals to Israel.

Getty ImagesSummer 2023: Another drought begins

It was perhaps expected that thteenager would undergo cold spells, and it inevitably happened again. After a strong start to the season, the goals dried up, as Endrick endured another difficult run over the summer, going scoreless in 12 straight games, failing to find the back of the net for two months after bagging a crucial equaliser against Paranaense in early July.

The manager effectively lost faith in Endrick entirely, keeping him on the bench on five separate occasions over the summer.

 

September 2023: Horror tackle almost ends his season

Opportunities would soon arrive, though – if only out of necessity. Striker Dudu, who had provided 10 goal contributions for the reigning league champs, sustained a serious knee injury in August.

That left space for Endrick to work his way back into the side – and onto the scoresheet. He was, accordingly, brought off the bench against Corinthians on September 3, and made a solid impact, creating a number of opportunities as his side pushed for a winner.

But it wasn’t his dribbling in the final third or incisive passes that marked his showing. Instead, the game will be remembered for a dangerous challenge that could have seriously impacted his career.

In the 92nd minute, Corinthians defender Maycon de Andrade Barberan went studs up into Endrick’s knee, leaving the teenager screaming in pain. Madrid were undoubtedly be relieved to learn that their top recruit sustained no serious damage, but it could have been the culmination of a tumultuous campaign.

GettyNovember 2023: Floodgates open

By the end of October, Endrick’s stats made for confusing reading. He had scored six goals in 29 appearances across all competitions, showing flashes of quality, but not much striker’s instinct. However in November, as the title race began to heat up, something changed.

Endrick scored four goals in 10 days, including a double in what was being dubbed as a potential title-decider against Botafogo. That game in particular was impressive, the now-17-year-old dominating the contest, and providing two memorable strikes that kicked off his team’s surge to eventually claim the championship.

 

GettyNovember 2023: Historic Brazil call-up

Despite his upturn in form, it was something of a surprise when interim manager Fernando Diniz called-up Endrick to the Brazil squad for the first time — especially ahead of two potentially decisive World Cup qualifiers. Still, he made the squad all the same, and showed up to the camp walking straight out of 1970, a Gucci-clad Pele regen ready to assume the mantle left by the great Brazilian.

Things didn’t quite work out that way. Endrick was ever really given a chance to impress, and didn’t play more than 20 minutes in either of Brazil’s games against Colombia and Argentina, which both resulted in losses.

While Endrick wasn’t to blame for either of the results, it wasn’t exactly the best introduction to international football for the teenager.

Cesar Greco/PalmeirasDecember 2023: Title wrapped up

Perhaps Palmeiras can consider themselves fortunate to have sealed a second straight Serie A crown. Botafago really should have clinched their first league since 1995, but a putrid run — going 10 games straight without winning after opening up a huge gap at the top — saw their hopes ended before Wednesday’s final round of game.

Endrick’s side, meanwhile, have picked up pace in the last two months, winning eight of their last 11, finding form at a crucial juncture of the season. The same can be said of Endrick, who netted six times in the final eight games to help his side get over the line and finish the league campaign with 11 goals. That tally makes him the youngest player since Neymar to hit double-figures in the Brazilian top flight.

And so after a season of ups and downs, Endrick ends it holding a trophy. It’s unlikely to be the last time world football’s most exciting teenager can say that in his career.

Getty / TwitterFebruary 2023: Tears on the bench

And it seemed to catch up with the youngster. Endrick was pictured crying on the bench after his run of games without a goal hit double digits, the image of a future Madridista covering his eyes on the sideline going viral.

He was swiftly defended by his manager, Abel Ferreira, who admitted that he should “have given Endrick a hug” following his removal from the contest. The manager also called for patience with his starlet, well aware of the pressures placed on him by the historic transfer fee.

“You have to be calm. Nobody likes criticism. There is tremendous pressure on him to score five or six goals and he tries to deal with it himself. The goal will appear at the right time. You just have to be calm and keep smiling,” he said after Palmeiras’ 2-0 win over RB Bragantino.