Sports news | Brazil heads to Copa America with teenager Endrick up front and more unknowns than knowns

Sao Paulo, June 14 (AP) Whatever Brazil does at the Copa America in the United States, it will surprise many.

Dorival Júnior, who took over as coach in January, has only managed two friendlies and his squad for the South American football championship has so far provided little evidence of his plans. Added to this is the absence of aging superstar Neymar, now 32, who will miss out with an ACL injury.

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Some traits of the Brazilian team are easily recognizable over the past decades. Win or lose, there are often sharp dribblers up front, right and left backs playing from one end to the other, and strong defenders in place to score goals.

Not this time. The only exception is Vinicius Júnior, one of the favorites for the Ballon d'Or after winning the Champions League with Real Madrid and scoring in the final against Borussia Dortmund. He will be Brazil's main star during the tournament from June 20 to July 15.

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Brazil watchers don't expect the Copa America to provide much evidence of what the team will look like at the 2026 World Cup — and for most in the country, it's the only tournament who counts.

But the continental tournament will probably give the new coach the opportunity to test young talents like attackers Endrick, who will wear the team's historic number 9, and Rodrygo as starters.

“It's a utopia to say that we don't think about results,” Júnior said on May 10, adding that he had enough players to choose from despite the absences of Casemiro, Richarlison and recently injured goalkeeper Ederson. .

“Regardless of age, club or anything else, it’s not every athlete’s time. We lost 14 players to injury in the previous call-up, and others after they arrived with us. Those who played then gave an excellent response.

Brazil beat England 1-0 at Wembley Stadium in March, and a few days later drew 3-3 against Spain at the Santiago Bernabeu.

Júnior's team looked quicker in transition than the team put together by his predecessor Fernando Diniz throughout 2023. Yet those two matches gave no indication of the team's future.

After the upcoming friendlies against the United States and Mexico, Brazil will face Costa Rica, Paraguay and Colombia in Group D of the Copa America.

Endrick's TimeEndrick scored Brazil's winning goal at Wembley and also scored in Madrid, which will become his home next season.

The 17-year-old striker is widely expected to start at the Copa America, his first major event with the senior team.

“I’m happy for the person I’m becoming. I don’t give up, I never give up easily,” Endrick said in an interview with TV Globo broadcast the day Júnior called him up for the national team.

“Now I have to work well here at the club to be able to integrate into the senior team.”

Endrick injured his right thigh while playing for Palmeiras in May. This year, he has scored six goals for his club and the national team in 24 matches. While that mark is far from impressive, most agree that the teenager deserves to be the team's target man for the foreseeable future.

If things don't work out, Júnior could be forced to use Rodrygo as a center forward. He could also form a Real Madrid trio up front, with Vinicius and Rodrygo on the wings and Endrick as center forward.

Paquetá under fire With Neymar out and several inexperienced players in the squad, midfielder Lucas Paquetá has a chance to take the team to the title and, perhaps, revive their chances of leaving West Ham United for Manchester City, as originally planned last year.

Paquetá was, however, accused of misconduct by English football authorities on 23 May after being accused of deliberately receiving yellow cards during Premier League matches in order to influence betting markets.

The case revolves around four matches from November 2022 to August 2023. The midfielder received a yellow card in each of them.

Júnior has said on several occasions that he considers Paquetá, 26, as one of the potential pillars of his team. But Diniz did not include the midfielder in three previous national team call-ups due to investigations in England.

Paquetá denies any wrongdoing. If he were found guilty by the English football authorities, he would still have several avenues of appeal.

New coach, new players

Several relatively unknown players are on the team.

Left back Wendell has a real chance of becoming a starter in an open position since Marcelo left the national team.

Defender Beraldo, quickly integrated into the Paris Saint-Germain starting lineup, will fight for a place with Éder Militão, recently recovered from injury.

Brazil's starting midfielder for the Copa America could also include Ederson, who just won the Europa League with Atalanta, and Wolverhampton's João Gomes.

Also, little known at home, attackers Pepê, Evanilson and Savinho will fight for a place in the team if Raphinha fails to keep his promises. (PA)

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