by Two years ago, aged 15, Endrick went global for the first time and on Saturday night those inside Wembley might get their first glimpse of the Brazilian boy wonder with the world at his feet.
However, Chelsea supporters will be keenly eyeing Endrick’s trip to London for Brazil’s friendly against England, as Real Madrid’s Bernabeu Stadium, the venue for Brazil’s second game of this international break, will be the permanent home of the beginners.
Jude Bellingham will be in the opposition team on Saturday, but he and Endrick will be partners in the Real Madrid team when the youngster turns 18 on July 21.
This will not be their first meeting as Endrick visited Madrid in December, when he met Bellingham and spoke to him in English, which he started learning even before taking Spanish lessons.
Endrick’s mother Cintia, father Douglas, girlfriend Gabriely Miranda and agent Frederico Pena will be inside Wembley and the Bernabeu to witness his first trip to Europe as a senior international. It’s undoubtedly one of the biggest moments of his career so far, but playing outside of South America won’t scare him.
An incredible performance in Brazil’s Copa Sao Paulo de Futebol Under-20 Junior Championship, in which he led Palmeiras to the title with eight goals in seven games, made Endrick the player scouted by the world’s top clubs to France to watch the 2022 Montaigu Competition.
The most definitive answers were given to those who wanted to see how he performed outside of Brazil, as Endrick helped his country to their first success since 1984, finishing as top scorer with five goals in four games and player the competition.
“That’s when the world really sat up and took notice,” said Endrick’s agent, Pena, speaking exclusively to Telegraph Sport. “People in football already knew about it, but that’s when all the top clubs came in, Manchester City, Liverpool, Paris St-Germain, Chelsea and, of course, Real Madrid.”
Pena, who also manages Vinicius Junior, signed Endrick as a client for the first time in 2020, but, due to Covid, he was unable to see him in the flesh until the following year. Even from the early videos he relied on, Pena was always convinced of the player’s talent and potential.
He said: “I think the first time we saw Endrick play was in the Under-13s for Palmeiras and it was clear, even on video, that he was a once-in-a-generation talent.
“He’s a player who can play in four or more World Cups, who can win the Ballon d’Or, that’s the kind of talent he has and there aren’t many players like that.”
Off the field, Endrick promises to be a huge star as well. He signed his first sponsorship deal before his first professional contract with Palmeiras and was the latest face of New Balance at the end of last year.
“Right now, in Brazil, we already have some important markets – not only financially, but in terms of the right brands,” said Pena. “But as time goes on with Real Madrid and Brazil, it will become a global commercial force.”
It was Chelsea who initially pushed the hardest to sign Endrick from Palmeiras, inviting his parents to the club’s Cobham training ground in October 2022, where they met Thiago Silva, Jorginho and Cesar Azpilicueta. Chelsea even found a local family church that they could attend.
But negotiations with Palmeiras dragged on over the fee for a player who would not be able to officially join the club for nearly two years and Real, who had arranged a similar deal with Pena, moved to sign Vinicius from Flamengo five years earlier. .
“I think Real decided they wouldn’t waste another talent like Vini or Endrick after Neymar moved to Barcelona,” Pena said. “Maybe there’s a lesson for Chelsea because they were ahead at the start.
“The boy’s parents visited Cobham and were very impressed, but Chelsea were worried about the fee and then when Real came in and were willing to pay what Palmeiras wanted, it was almost impossible for them.”
Endrick’s father, Douglas, who played amateur football in Brasilia, dreamed of his son playing for Real Madrid and Vinicius also played a part in the move.
“All his father wanted was to be a footballer and play for Real Madrid, and that was huge for him,” Pena said. “Vini was also able to talk to him and tell him about his own experiences and put him at ease.”
It was in December 2022, just two months after making his senior debut for Palmeiras, that Real announced that Endrick would join them when he turned 18 in July this year, in a deal thought to be worth around £52 million.
He has won two Brazilian League titles with Palmeiras, scoring 18 goals in 66 games, and last year became the youngest player to earn a senior Brazil call-up since Ronaldo in 1994.
“He’s not a boy you’ll see smiling or laughing all the time like Vini or Neymar,” Pena said. “He’s a different character from those people, he’s more reserved but very smart. He is learning Spanish and has already started learning English.”
These two new languages came in handy during his trip to Madrid in December to get used to his new home, as Endrick successfully conducted interviews in Spanish and spoke personally with Bellingham.
Bellingham’s wife Endrick was reported as saying: “Welcome, superstar. All good?” The Brazilian is said to have replied in perfect English: “Hi, nice to meet you.”
Endrick’s two Brazil caps so far came against Colombia and Argentina last November, and he is expected to add to those during the England and Spain games.
“It’s a big moment for him, for sure,” Pena said. “He’s already played in the Maracana for Brazil and he knows about Wembley and what it would be like to play there. Then there is the Bernabeu, which will soon be his home. At 17, it doesn’t get much better than that.”
