Endrick picks Bobby Charlton in his video game team and has music in his soul – and he didn’t even know he’d broken a record! Meet the boy from Brazil who stole the show at Wembley
Hello Wembley, as they say. The boy from Brazil with music in his soul took this grand old stage by storm with a simple goal that could have enormous repercussions.
Endrick has been promising to burst out across world football for months, bound for Real Madrid in the summer, hailed as the next extraordinary talent out of a nation with the most impressive track record.
In the 80th minute of Saturday’s friendly against England he pounced to become the youngest to score a senior international goal at the famous stadium.
‘I confess I didn’t know,’ Endrick told Mail Sport. ‘I was so focused on preparation I couldn’t research anything about the history of the stadium. I knew I was going to enter a temple of football and that was enough.’
He knew about Sir Bobby Charlton, though, because he likes to select him in his all-time team on EAFC, the new version of the FIFA game by EA Sports, and mentioned his name in his post-match interviews.
Endrick scored the only goal as Brazil earned a 1-0 friendly win against England on Saturday
The 17-year-old became the youngest player to score a senior international goal at Wembley
Endrick name checked England legend Bobby Charlton after scoring his first goal for Brazil
‘Bobby Charlton is an idol here,’ said Endrick. ‘Playing in the stadium where Bobby played, scoring a goal on the date Ronaldo made his debut, it is a landmark date.’
Here was another smart a nod to history, this time to a Brazilian icon who had made his international debut on 23 March 1994, exactly 30 years earlier.
At 17 years and 246 days, Endrick’s winner against England also made him Brazil’s youngest goalscorer since Ronaldo.
Little wonder it sparked tremors of hope back home where they wonder who might end the wait for another World Cup since Ronaldo & Co won it in 2002.
‘I’ve already talked to Ronaldo and gained experiences from him,’ he added. ‘I am happy, I hope to help my teammates, the national team, and that we go in search of victories.’
All this is very much part of the Endrick charm, just like his habit of singing while he plays to help his focus and rhythm.
He says his musical tastes are eclectic. He likes música sertaneja, a genre of country music popular among many Brazilian footballers, characterised by themes of a simple rural life, love and heartbreak, often accompanied by acoustic guitars and accordions.
Sometimes he sings along to this. He is also into trap music, a subgenre of rap. When he played against Argentina at the Maracana in November, he spent the game singing a famous song called Nosso Sonho (translates as Our Dream) by Claudinho and Buchecha.
In perhaps his most famous game for Palmeiras, when he scored twice and inspired a fightback from 3-0 down against Botofogo to win 4-3 he sang Sempre Quase Algo (Always Almost Something) by Henrique and Juliano.
Endrick will join Real Madrid after his 18th birthday in July in a £52.5million deal struck in December 2022, and Brazil boss Dorival hopes his young star does not change.
Endrick, who sings when he plays, had been unaware that he had broken a record at Wembley
Endrick is Brazil’s youngest scorer since Ronaldo and has gained advice from the World Cup winner
New Brazil boss Dorival Junior hopes Endrick does not change with his move to Real Madrid
Brazilians want Endrick to link-up with his future Real Madrid team-mate Vinicius Junior, left
‘Time will show who this boy might become,’ said Dorival, after Endrick’s goal gave him victory in his first game in charge. ‘I believe if his attitude doesn’t change, he will certainly be a very important name in Brazilian and world football.
‘He is a boy who really shows a different quality for a young player, and a forward who has some interesting and different characteristics from other young players. I hope he doesn’t change who he is.’
In Brazil, the overwhelming reaction was that the victory at Wembley offered clear evidence of the best direction forward towards the Copa America tournament in June and a future without Neymar, who is now 32, playing club football in Saudi Arabia and missing this game through injury.
The consensus is that Endrick must start on Tuesday in Spain, in a forward line with his soon-to-be Real Madrid teammates Rodrygo and Vinicius Junior. There were also plaudits for Premier League midfielders Lucas Paqueta, Bruno Guimaraes and Joao Gomes.
