A look at Real Madrid’s transfers history can elucidate the Los Blancos’ tryst with signing Brazilian wonder boys.
Rodrygo and Vinicius Junior were both 18 when the wingers, who had all the makings of prodigies from the South American nation, signed with the La Liga giant.
The latest addition to the star-studded list of Brazilians to wear that white jersey is Endrick. At 18 years and 35 days, he became the youngest foreign player to score for the side in the Spanish top-tier on Sunday in Real Madrid’s 3-0 win over Real Valladolid.
Defender Raphael Varane was the last Madrid player to be the holder of this feat when he did so in 2011.
Within 10 minutes of Carlo Ancelotti handing the teen his debut, Endrick received the ball from Brahim Diaz, skipped past a Valladolid player, and let fly a hard, grounded shot that beat the opposition keeper at the near post.
Bobby from Brazil
Endrick is known as ‘Bobby’ inside the hallowed halls of the Real Madrid dressing room. And this is a nickname the youngster would have no qualms about.
On March 24, he scored the solitary goal that gave Brazil a 1-0 win over England in an international friendly match at the Wembley Stadium in London.
While the winger had made his international Selcao debut back in November 2023, this was his first goal in the Brazil colours.
“A guy who is an idol here is also Bobby Charlton,” said Endrick after the match. “Playing in the stadium that Bobby played, scoring on the day Ronaldo debuted. These are very important memories for me.”
That day also marked 30 years since Brazil great Ronaldo donned the national team colours for the first time.
Endrick went on to score two more times for Brazil, both coming in international friendlies against Spain and Mexico. In the 2024 Copa America, he featured in the group stage matches off the bench, and made his first start in the tournament in the quarterfinal clash against Uruguay, which Brazil ended up losing 2-4 via a penalty shootout.
It all began in the U-20 side of Palmeiras - a Brazilian team that plies its trade in the country’s top-tier.
After showing a knack for finding the goal more often than not, Endrick, at the impressionable age of 16, became the youngest player to appear for the outfit’s senior team.
On Sunday’s match against Valldolid, Endrick came on for a certain Kylian Mbappe, a player whose merit books him a spot in the starting lineup. For the Brazilian teenager, it remains to be seen how he shows that he’s just not a flash in the pan. The best way for him to show that would perhaps be to take a page out of his compatriots’ book who joined the side which had the likes of Gareth Bale, Karim Benzema, and Eden Hazard.
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