It's time to forget about Neymar, the 17-year-old Brazilian prodigy or the next champion

Endrick.

After the collapse of the World Cup in Qatar, Neymar seems to have embarked on a downward slope that is difficult to turn back.

After leaving Saudi Arabia, not only did he not have a "dimensionality reduction strike", but he was ridiculed by fans as a "meat mar" because of his long-term recuperation and physical shape. Recently, the Brazilian media revealed that it is preparing to return to the Brazilian league in 2025 to "retire".

The flag-bearer of samba football is gradually moving away from the center of the world football stage, but suddenly, a new star who seems to be able to be pinned on is rising.

This international break at the end of March, the focus of Brazilian fans is probably only related to a 17-year-old prodigy.

Endrick became a surprise man off the bench.

Another Brazilian "golden boy" is here

Not long ago, in Brazil's two warm-up matches against England and Spain, Endrick, who was originally used as a substitute wonder, scored two goals in 64 minutes, bringing a record of one win and one draw to the Samba Army.

When his name echoes at Wembley Stadium and the Bernabeu Stadium, and Brazilian Football Federation officials can't help but praise it, Endrick, who will wear the Real Madrid shirt in three months' time, is transforming from a South American star to a world-class golden boy.

Endrick, who walked into the Bernabeu Stadium for the first time in December last year, only watched Real Madrid's match against Villarreal from the VIP seats. However, it wasn't long before he quickly established himself in the Brazilian national team and was able to score goals at the Santiago Bernabeu and listen to the cheers of the fans.

'I dreamed of scoring my first goal at the Bernabeu and everything here was unbeatable. 'With a national team goal as a preview of a new career for the club, Endrick did just that.

Three days later, in the semi-finals of the São Paulo State League against Nueva Oricutino, Endrick scored the winning goal.

In just seven days, he scored three goals in a row for the national team and club, and the so-called talented youngster's spring breeze is nothing more than that.

At the longed-for Santiago Bernabeu Stadium, Endrick made that trademark celebration – bending down, shaking hands, politely, like a high-profile genius who greeted the "future".

Endrick's family was poor.

Experienced the trials of poverty and hunger

Like many of his Brazilian predecessors, Endrick's family environment was not ideal.

Facing poverty and hunger at a young age was a reality he couldn't escape. But thanks to football, Endrick still remembers a happy childhood when he would kick everything round and play all day on the street with his friends.

One day, Endrick told his father, "Don't worry, I'm going to be a professional footballer and I'm going to lead the family out of what it's like now." In Endrick's memory, it was from that day that football ceased to be a game for him.

The difficulties and tests of real life have accelerated the "precociousness" of this football player.

When a gifted teenager has a determined and focused heart, and remains diligent day after day, the door to a new world will always be pushed open by him. As he himself said, "I will fight to the end and fight until the last minute." I never give up and I'm going to be the player with the most runs on the pitch. ”

It may be hard for you to imagine that such an unpretentious "blue-collar" statement came from a genius who has been called "the next big Luo".

Endrick's progress and growth came too quickly. Two years ago, at the age of 15, he had just made his mark at the Palmeiras and national youth events, and he had already gained his first popularity through social media, with more than a million social media followers and millions of views on his online highlights.

Even without any professional racing resume, he appeared on the cover of the newspaper Marca three times. A large number of European clubs have flocked to the market, Real Madrid, Barcelona, Paris, Manchester City, Liverpool, ...... No big scout would turn a blind eye to him.

Endrick is on the verge of joining Real Madrid.

Real Madrid, where dreams set sail?

In December 2022, Endrick, who broke the record for the youngest appearance in the history of the Palmeiras team, signed a contract with Real Madrid, a transfer agreement totaling around 70 million euros, locking in the short-term future of the talented teenager.

The Brazilian youngster, who has idolized Cristiano Ronaldo since he was a child, is determined to follow in the footsteps of his idol from July 2024.

Looking back on the past year, Endrick, who has gradually been promoted to the altar, has not had a smooth ride, especially after signing with Real Madrid, his competitive and psychological state has fluctuated, and he has even suffered a "goal drought" in 11 games.

In the match against Bragandino at the end of February last year, the Brazilian youngster, who was substituted in the game, was so frustrated that he covered his head with a vest and silently burst into tears.

"At the beginning of 2023, I care too much about the outside world, and I will be very angry and irritable. I've really grown a lot over the course of the year. In retrospect, Endrick said.

Fortunately, the support of the club's coaching staff and teammates helped Endrick survive the "coming-of-age ceremony", and in the last two months of the 2023 season, Endrick, who regained his self-confidence, got a more suitable tactical arrangement for himself, and also became a new generation of national darlings with goals one by one.

With six goals in the last eight league games, Endrick helped Palmeiras to an epic comeback and be crowned champion of the Brazilian league for the 12th time.

Will Endrick be Brazil's future?

The future flag-bearer of Brazilian football

After gaining a foothold in domestic football, Endrick also appeared in the national team.

On November 17 last year, in the fifth round of the South American qualifiers for the US-Canada-Mexico World Cup, Endrick became the fourth youngest player in the history of the Brazilian men's football team at the age of 17 years, 3 months and 27 days.

Like Ronaldo 30 years ago, he has experienced what it's like to start his international career at the age of 17.

As the transfer time for Real Madrid draws closer, Endrick will naturally be excited, and what scenes will he remember in the final waiting time?

Maybe it was borrowing his family's computer to watch Real Madrid games when he was a child, learning about the history of the "Galaxy Battleship" through online videos, the madness of Bale, Benzema and Ronaldo, and the obsession of using Bellingham in football games......

A few months ago, when Endrick walked into the dressing room at Real Madrid for the first time, Modric smiled and said, "No.9 and No.10 are always next to each other, who knows, maybe next season you'll be sitting next to me." ”

The whole world is waiting for Endrick to deliver on his talent, and the thing he needs to believe in is the belief that "I was born for football".

(Push-ups/Chen Dingrui)

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