He was once considered one of the hottest talents in world soccer, but Endrick failed to live up to those expectations. However, the Brazilian is still very young—just 19 years old—so he still has time, and he has since gone through a process of maturing.
As the next Brazilian super talent, Endrick joined Real Madrid in 2024, but he failed to make a breakthrough with the Royals, so after a year and a half of stagnation, he was loaned to Olympique Lyon. His start in France was very promising, with three goals and an assist in four games—the hype was suddenly real.
But then he received a red card in the 1-0 loss at Nantes, which slowed him down a bit. Although Endrick saw regular playing time at OL, his performances were somewhat inconsistent. Nevertheless, the 19-year-old currently has seven goals and just as many assists across all competitions in 18 official matches for the southern French club.
Like almost every soccer player, he has had to endure his fair share of criticism, but unlike in the past, he doesn’t let it bother him much anymore, as he himself says. “I don’t pay attention to what others say anymore,” he told The Guardian, explaining: “If you take all that out of your life, everything becomes easier. As soon as you ignore what happens off the field, you start performing better on the field. That’s the key for soccer players. Work hard for the team and don’t worry about criticism.”
Endrick openly admits that this wasn’t always the case for him. “When I started out, I handled social media and criticism very poorly. As soon as I came off the field, I’d immediately go on Twitter and social media to see what people were saying about me. I wanted to boost my ego,” the 19-year-old confessed, noting: “That’s not a good thing. Thankfully, that time is over. When the game is over, I stay calm and focus on my recovery. I don’t care about the criticism anymore.”
Despite his young age, Endrick seems to have matured, which may also have something to do with the fact that he’s about to become a father. By the way, he doesn’t want his child to become a soccer player. “I hope he or she becomes a lawyer, a doctor, or something else and can be happy,” said Endrick, adding: “Soccer isn’t a nice place. It’s a very tough environment.”
Brazilian must continue to prove himself
For him personally, however, soccer is very important—and he still has goals for the current season. Lyon, currently fourth in the table, is still fighting for a Champions League spot and faces a crucial home match against rival Stade Rennes on Sunday. And then there’s the big dream of the World Cup.
Endrick hasn’t secured his spot on the record-holding world champions’ roster yet, but in early April he made a strong case for a nomination. In the friendly against Croatia, Endrick didn’t come on until the final quarter of an hour, but he revitalized the Selecao’s play, drew a penalty, and even set up Gabriel Martinelli’s 3-1 winning goal.
“It was an evening full of doubts. I knew it could be my last chance,” said Endrick. “I played well—one of my best performances. I managed to push aside those negative thoughts and the feeling that I had to play well, as well as the idea that it might be my last chance. That helped me take the weight off my shoulders, and I had a great game.”
Whether that was enough to completely convince national team coach Carlo Ancelotti—who, prior to the aforementioned match against Croatia, had described Endrick as “a player for the future, not for the present”—remains to be seen. “My greatest wish is to play in the World Cup. I have to be there,” Endrick makes no secret of his ambition. But he also knows that he has to keep delivering to make that happen: “I have to do my job well at Lyon. That’s what I’m focusing on now. I have to play well in the remaining games to secure my spot.”
