‘We weren’t born into wealth. We were born into football’

Destiny springs to mind when hearing Endrick’s story.

Before he had joined Palmeiras, he sat down with his father, Douglas, and promised to give their family a better life by becoming a professional footballer. He was 10 at the time.

Football was in Endrick's blood; his father and grandfather shared his dream, but were unable to make it a reality.

Douglas had even slept under Palmeiras’ ticket booth when hitch-hiking across Brazil for a week in the hope of finding a club.

Those struggles didn’t dampen his desire to help his son.

"He would send around YouTube clips of Endrick to clubs, looking for someone to pick him up and Palmeiras bit," South American football expert Tim Vickery tells Sky Sports.

They had very little, but Endrick looks back fondly on his childhood. "In our family, we weren’t born into wealth," Endrick wrote in The Players’ Tribune. "We were born into football."

Endrick's family relocated to Sao Paolo after he joined Palmeiras. His father took up a job as a caretaker, placing him in the dressing room he had fantasised about.

He was sure to tell the squad they would soon be playing with his son.

"Douglas did everything he could so that Endrick could fulfil his dream," says Paulo Victor Gomes, a youth coach of Endrick’s at Palmeiras. "It’s a victory not only for the boy but the entire family. For their sacrifice and all that they did."

Endrick delivered on the promise he had made to his father by signing his first professional contract aged 15. Douglas kept his word, too: Endrick had arrived.

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'Everyone present realised we had a gem'

Gomes first encountered Endrick as a 10-year-old when he was coaching Palmeiras’ U15s. They would not work together until later, but Endrick made an immediate impression. "I observed a very different player since his first steps inside the club," he says.

"It wasn’t only in the physical aspect, like everyone always talks about, but in the technical aspects, his decision-making, how much he involved himself in the games and how much this boy was concentrating during training."

Endrick established himself as a player for the big moments early in his development. Gomes recalls the final of the U11s Sao Paolo State Championship in 2017 as the occasion Endrick announced himself at Palmeiras.

"He always demonstrated himself to be an exceptional boy," says Gomes. "But for me this was the moment." It was the first time Endrick had played at Allianz Parque, Palmeiras’ stadium. "What he did in that game was something really outstanding."

Endrick won the game against Santos with the only goal, a tap-in on the rebound. Time has taught us this was no accident. Endrick tends to be in the right place at the right time.

"The main difference between Endrick and other players is his connection with the goal," says Gomes. "He's very dangerous in the area. That's his distinctive characteristic."

Endrick's goal was not the only thing that stood out. "He took control of the game in a way that was so natural, leading in a moment of huge pressure for boys of 10 and 11 years of age. It wasn’t just me, everyone present realised we had a gem."

Word of Endrick’s talent would soon spread beyond Palmeiras.

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'Everyone wanted him'

Cophinha is one of the most famous U20 tournaments in the world. Neymar, Vincius Junior and Alisson are among those to have gained notoriety on this stage.

Scouts from around the globe flock to Sao Paolo every January, hoping to discover Brazil’s next superstar.

Endrick made sure they knew who he was in 2022 aged just 15. "He was giving five years away to his opponents, and was just doing incredible things," says Vickery. "This was the first time we really saw him."

Palmeiras won Copinha for the first time that year, coached by Gomes. Endrick was the star, scoring six goals across seven games to claim the tournament's MVP award.

Endrick also won goal of the tournament for a bicycle kick he scored outside the box in the quarter-final. "It just couldn’t be done and he did it," chuckles Vickery. "The talent is breathtaking. He is extraordinary."

It wasn't the first time Endrick had gone viral for a wondergoal.

A year earlier, he scored from inside his own half in the Sao Paolo State Championship U17 final as Palmeiras triumphed over Corinthians. Parallels were quickly drawn with Pele’s near miss against Czechoslovakia at the 1970 World Cup.

Such comparisons are unavoidable for Endrick being a striker from Brazil. Many have crumbled under this pressure. "Mentally, he's very strong," says Gomes. "You could see it since he was U11. He constructs this everyday."

The reports on Endrick after Copinha were unanimous. This was the player to watch. "All my contacts in Brazil had already assured me that he was someone different," Mario Cortegana, a Real Madrid correspondent for The Athletic, tells Sky Sports.

"It's not so usual that this happens with football people in Brazil. I was told very early that he would arrive in Europe more prepared than Vinicius or Rodrygo, among others. I followed him closely and came away thinking the same."

"Everyone wanted Endrick," adds Vickery.

Chelsea and Manchester City were thought to be the Premier League clubs in the strongest position to sign him. Had things panned out differently, perhaps England would be readying itself for the arrival of the Brazilian this summer.  

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'Everything was right with us and Chelsea'

Todd Boehly and Co. have never been shy to splash the cash at Chelsea. A rare moment of restraint, however, stopped them from signing Endrick in November 2022.

Chelsea laid out the red carpet for his family, who were greeted by Thiago Silva and Jorginho at Cobham. Everything had been arranged: the house they would live in, the school Endrick would attend and even their church.

"Everything was right with us and Chelsea," Douglas, Endrick’s father, told The Guardian last year.

"I can’t say 100% because I hadn’t signed, but the deal was agreed. I had already got it into my head that I would live in London with all that cold weather.

"But then at night, my son’s manager phoned and said that the Chelsea owner had backed out of the deal because the price they would have to pay for Endrick would inflate the market.

"It was €60m [£51.4m] for a 16-year-old boy who would only arrive in the country almost two years later."

Real Madrid swooped in a month later and agreed to a similar deal. It was described as the "the biggest negotiation in the history of Brazilian football" by Palmeiras president Leila Pereira.

There was little doubt in Endrick’s mind when Real Madrid entered the conversation.

"He told me that once his agent said Real were interested and the money was on the table, that's the one he wanted," says Vickery.

Real had always been the dream. In the video above, an 11-year-old Endrick laid out his ambitions: "Win the Libertadores, go to the World Cup. After that? Go to Real."

Endrick, it seems, was always destined for the Bernabeu. Chelsea fans will undoubtedly be reading this thinking 'what if'. They could do with a striker.

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'It's like watching Pele and his mates in the 1950s'

It is far too early to describe Endrick as iconic. However, he already has a vast catalogue of pictures that are just that. There is an aura about him rarely seen for someone so young.

It all began when Endrick reported for international duty for the first time in November 2023. Social media decided this (below) was to be the picture that preceded a legendary career.

You know, the one we would marvel over when Endrick becomes the best player in the world. "It was the way he was dressed," says Vickery. "It's almost retro."

The image Endrick has cultivated tells us about the narrative he hopes to transmit to the world. This is all very deliberate.

"He hasn’t gone down the Neymar-esque route of the dyed platinum hair and the tattoos," adds Vickery.

Neymar's reputation in Brazil has become tarnished with the perception that he's more concerned about his celebrity than his football, something Endrick has spoken out against.

The example serves as a warning for Endrick, though. One he appears to have heeded. "He doesn't want to come across as a party animal or someone too big for his boots," adds Vickery.

This reflects his life away from the spotlight, too. "He’s a rather reserved boy, who looks to spend time by himself, with family and friends," says Gomes. "He's never been involved in any controversies."

Endrick's interactions with the media show his maturity. His tribute to Sir Bobby Charlton after scoring at Wembley was a nice touch. Not one you'd expect from a 17-year-old.

This is a student of the game, with a deep knowledge of those that've come before him. Something of a rarity nowadays.

It resonates with Endrick's image. "He's placing himself in a tradition of 1958-1970," says Vickery. "That's what he wants to represent."

That was a golden era for Brazil, synonymous with Endrick's favourite player.

"Without being forced, I think he's making a point," says Vickery. "It’s like watching Pele and his mates in the 1950s, when he was a young kid at Santos."

Endrick, the country's new hope, is a throwback to the good old days. Public perceptions won't win him any trophies, but managing the mood music could be vital.

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The heir to R9?

Brazil’s 22-year barren run at the World Cup has coincided with the absence of an elite striker.

Richarlison produced spectacular moments in Qatar but lacks the star power. Luis Fabiano, Alexandre Pato and Adriano could not live up to expectation, either.

Endrick might be the striker Brazil has been longing for since Ronaldo Nazario retired.

Gomes sees similarities but urges caution. "If I had to compare Endrick to someone I’ve seen, I’d say Ronaldo Fenômeno, keeping things in perspective with the level of attributes."

"It’s the explosiveness, his finishing capabilities, his presence in the area and the volume of goals he’s scored," adds Gomes. But would Endrick be suited to playing as a lone striker?

For Palmeiras he’s played up top on his own and with a partner, but Gomes and Vickery agree he thrives most when playing off someone. "That’s where he can produce his best, arriving in the area and with the freedom to drop to the wings," says Gomes.

It is not uncommon for forwards like Endrick to be shunted out wide. Gomes and Vickery insist this would be a mistake. "I don’t think you want him there," says Vickery. "I prefer him playing very close to the goal," adds Gomes.

To become an elite forward, learning to excel as a lone striker will be key for Endrick. His cameos for Brazil in March suggest he’ll be able to. When a player has his instincts for goal, they tend to fit in somewhere.

"His talent is so great," says Vickery. "It’s not only his speed, but also the calm of his finishing. He’s one of those players - my old man used to tell me about Jimmy Greaves - he can just pass the ball into the net. There aren’t many who can do that. It sounds easy, but it isn’t. He really is special."

Brazil hasn’t been this excited about a player of Endrick’s age since Neymar, the nation’s all-time leading scorer.

Vickery says Neymar is "still widely seen as a disappointment" in Brazil, despite his 79 goals in 128 games.

The obvious lack of a World Cup - or even the Copa America - partly explain it. Neymar’s failure to claim an individual award is another source of underwhelm.

"Brazil grew up thinking the Ballon d’Or was a birth right," says Vickery. "They haven’t won it since 2007 so there is huge pressure on someone – first it was Neymar, now it will be Vini and later down the line Endrick – to win that."

For Endrick to truly be considered a success in Brazil, he may have to win a World Cup or Ballon d’Or, perhaps both. It’s an inordinate level of expectation on his young shoulders. "So far, he’s dealing with this extraordinarily well," says Vickery.

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Real Madrid's plans for their 'special' striker

Endrick rocked up for his first game at the Bernabeu aged 17 and delivered with a goal against Spain, mere days after becoming Brazil’s youngest scorer since Ronaldo against England at Wembley.

Cortegana, a Real Madrid correspondent for The Athletic, was there. "When he scored the goal, the noise was not exactly like that of a Spanish goal, but it was similar."

Real fans were already hotly anticipating the visit of Endrick, but his winner against England only added to the fanfare. "When his name was announced, the Spain fans, many of them Madrid fans too, applauded and shouted."

Endrick was made to feel welcome in his new home and gifted the fans with a sweetly struck volley in return. It was the perfect introduction. He seems to have that very Real-like tendency of turning up in the big moments.

The teenager, already a back-to-back league winner with Palmeiras in Brazil's Serie A, tends to agree. "I’m a player who shows up at times when it's difficult," he said last year.

Endrick had just inspired Palmeiras to a stunning 4-3 comeback win at the then league leaders Botafogo. He scored their first two goals and his cross led to the third as they rallied from 3-0 down.

"It was his game," says Vickery. "The cameras showed him telling his team-mates 'give me the ball, give me the ball'. He’s 17 and wants that responsibility."

Palmeiras went on to win the league as Botafogo threw away a 13-point lead.

"This was a great example for everyone who is getting to know Endrick," says Gomes. "Those who know him realise this mentality has been there for a long time."

For many in Europe, the March internationals served a similar purpose. Endrick looks ready. "Sometimes it’s hard to believe what he is achieving and showing so early," says Cortegana.

Vincius and Rodrygo spent time with Real Madrid Castilla before integrating with the first-team, but Endrick will be thrown straight in. "That was always the idea," says Cortegana. "His magnificent evolution has only reinforced the club's plans."

Kylian Mbappe’s arrival has been raised as a potential issue, but Vickery sees things differently. “It just takes the pressure off Endrick,” he says. “It sounds like every training session will be a wonderful education for him.”

"Endrick will obviously have a lot of competition in attack," adds Cortegana. "It'll be important for him to have the patience Edouardo Camavinga and Federico Valverde had."

Gomes has little doubt about his adaptation. "I'd treat him like a special player. The special players, they’re ready to be decisive, to be important independent of the context. I believe Endrick will have success very quickly at Real Madrid."

He adds: "Endrick has what high-level football requires: a strong mentality to get him through all moments, any and every eventuality."

Endrick is Next Up.

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