Carlo Ancelotti has advised Endrick to have a conversation with Real Madrid about his lack of game time this season, but hasn’t ruled out selecting the teenager in Brazil’s 2026 World Cup squad.
Endrick was built into the second coming of Pelé when he was notching goals for Palmeiras at home in Brazil from the age of 16. Real Madrid quickly secured his signature in a deal worth €60 million (£52.9 million, $69.4 million) in December 2022, 19 months before he was old enough to actually complete the transfer and mirroring their capture of a 16-year-old Vinícius Júnior in 2017.
The striker became Brazil’s youngest debutant in 57 years at the end of 2023, and in 2024 netted in consecutive appearances against England and Spain, while still aged 17. It made Endrick the only Brazilian other than Pelé in the 1950s to score in back-to-back Selecão appearances while under 18.
But it hasn’t been an easy ride for the teen prodigy since finally arriving in Spain last year. Lacking experience, needing time to settle, and with severe competitions for places, he started only three La Liga games and once in the Champions League under Ancelotti in 2024–25—he did at least achieve 37 appearances over the course of the season in total, scoring seven times.
Since Xabi Alonso replaced Ancelotti, combined with the surprise emergence of Club World Cup top scorer Gonzalo García as the chief backup to Kylian Mbappé, Endrick has had even fewer chances. After coming into 2025–26 injured and missing the first month, he’s been given only 11 minutes and has remained an unused substitute 10 times across La Liga and the Champions League.
“It’s important for Endrick to play again,” Ancelotti, now in place as Brazil manager and weighing up who to take to the World Cup in seven months’ time, told local publication .
“I spoke with him at the beginning of the season. He was injured, but now he’s fine, he’s back, and he needs to think with those around him about what’s best. He needs to talk to the club to see what suits him best.”
Ancelotti reassured Endrick that even if he doesn’t get picked for 2026, age means he will have plenty more chances to go to a World Cup in his career: “Endrick is very young, this won’t be his last World Cup. He could play in 2026, because he has the necessary quality, but also in 2030, 2034, or even 2038. The important thing is that he plays again and demonstrates his quality.”
