Endrick says 'I have to introduce myself' as Brazilian teenager prepares for life at Real Madrid

SAO PAULO (AP) — Brazilian striker Endrick knows he will face tough competition to make an impression when he joins European champion Real Madrid for the upcoming season, especially after signing Kylian Mbappé Monday.

The teenager said in a telephone interview with The Associated Press on Tuesday that he was not perturbed by the challenges ahead. His signing in December 2022 cost Madrid more than 40 million euros ($43.5 million), but Madrid fans knew then that they would have to wait until Endrick turned 18 in July this year while he continued to play for Brazilian team Palmeiras.

Endrick knows what he has to do from the start in Madrid.

“No one is supposed to know me well,” Endrick said. “It’s me coming, I have to introduce myself.”

Endrick said Madrid would be favorites to win their 16th Champions League title next season.

“The more you win in Madrid, the more you have to win. There’s no rest,” said Endrick, 17, as he prepares to train with Brazil’s Copa America team.

“The biggest difference between South America and Europe is the intensity of the game, but Palmeiras is the most European of the Brazilian teams, and that will help me in my adaptation,” said the striker, whose the only professional coach until now was the Portuguese Abel. Ferreira.

When asked where he would fit into Madrid's winning team, Endrick said it would be a decision that would be up to manager Carlo Ancelotti. So far, the Brazilian has mainly played as a center forward.

“With this team, I can’t think of choosing anything. There are only world-class players. I leave this (decision) to Ancelotti, he is also world class and will find a solution,” said Endrick, a childhood fan of the club and its former star Cristiano Ronaldo, much like new Mbappé signature.

Endrick leaves Brazil as a beloved player at Palmeiras after 81 matches and 21 goals, some of which have been vital to the club's winning form in recent years. He was in tears before his farewell match on May 30, as home fans chanted his name and held up a banner wishing him good luck in Europe.

The target man won the Sao Paulo league title with Palmeiras this year and in 2023. He was also part of the team that won the Brazilian championship in 2022 and 2023.

Endrick hopes to impress Ancelotti at the Copa America, in which he could end up starting for Brazil. He recovered from a right thigh injury while playing for Palmeiras in May. This year he has scored six goals for club and country in 24 matches.

His main opponent to play for Brazil could also be his rival for playing time in Madrid, striker Rodrygo.

Many analysts say Endrick's performance in the Copa America, as new coach Dorival Júnior takes over in Brazil, could help him in Spain in his competition with Rodrygo. Others say it won't matter much as Ancelotti will work on new players little by little.

Endrick has scored two goals in two games for Brazil. In March, he scored the winner against England at Wembley Stadium and a few days later scored another in his team's 3-3 draw against Spain at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium, giving the local fans a glimpse of what they could soon see.

“Those matches were great, but my life hasn't changed much. I continued to work hard and play every game like it was my first,” Endrick said. “We are happy, we celebrate, but there is soon another match to win and put pressure on us.”

No matter what happens at the tournament in the United States or in his first few months in Spain, the teenager, often compared to 1994 World Cup winner Romario for his confident style, believes he is ready to deliver his promises.

“I always wanted to be a footballer, I always embraced challenges, including playing with older kids. My dream has always been this, and now I'm making it bigger, little by little,” said Endrick, who grew up near Brasilia, Brazil's capital, and joined the Palmeiras academy at the age of 9 years. “I want to make history with Brazil and Madrid, I always dreamed of playing for them.”

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