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Endrick’s Viral World Cup With Brazil and What’s Next at Real Madrid

The Brazilian’s career has been defined by a lack of game time—and his summer exploits have been reduced to meme culture despite a strong season out on loan.
Andrew Headspeath|
Endrick’s involvement this summer has been limited despite public clamour.
Endrick’s involvement this summer has been limited despite public clamour. | Chris Arjoon/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Endrick is expected to compete for his place at Real Madrid next season, with the club not seeking another loan spell for their young star.

At just 19, the Brazilian forward is facing a big moment. After arriving at the Bernabéu for a high transfer fee and higher expectations in the summer of 2024, Endrick has so far failed to get his Madrid career off the ground.

In 2024–25, he made 37 appearances in all competitions but started just eight times and scored only one goal in La Liga under then manager Carlo Ancelotti.

Last season, after failing to force his way into Xabi Alonso’s plans, he was farmed out on loan to Lyon, where he has started to re-establish himself as one of soccer’s hottest talents.

His performances in France (16 goal involvements in 24 outings) were impressive enough to earn him a place in Ancelotti’s World Cup roster for Brazil, while it widely reported that the young forward will return to Madrid to fight for his place in the team next season. However, the summer tournament has yet not proved the chance to showcase his talents on the global stage that many might have predicted.

Meme Sensation

Despite being included in the 26-man Brazil roster, Endrick has seen limited game time at this summer’s World Cup so far.

The youngster was not used at all in Brazil’s opener against Morocco and then made 26-minute and eight-minute cameos off the bench against Haiti and Scotland.

Such has been Endrick’s lack of involvement—despite public clamor—that a meme sensation has arisen from the situation, with social media users flooding feeds with up infinitely creative ways in which Ancelotti could ruin the player’s hopes and dreams (see above for just a few examples).

“I note that the fans are pushing hard for Endrick,” Ancelotti is quoted as saying by The Athletic, when asked about the situation.

Real Madrid’s own Éder Militão is among those to have added to the campaign for Endrick, recently saying: “Whenever he comes on, even if it’s just for two or three minutes, he changes the match. He has this star power.”

Where Could Endrick Play for Real Madrid Next Season?

Endrick, Vinicius Jr
Endrick and Vinicius Jr could form a Brazilian frontline for Madrid next season. | Antonio Villalba/Real Madrid/Getty Images

Whatever happens at the rest of the World Cup for Endrick and Brazil, the forward appears set to return to Real Madrid after the tournament and fight for his place in the team under new manager José Mourinho.

MARCA claims that “No further loan is being sought” and Endrick is “very likely” to be an important part of Mourinho’s plans. However, while he was initially used as a center forward in the early stages of his career, Endrick is now set for a new role out wide.

Having shone on the right of a front three at Lyon, Madrid expect Endrick to come in and compete for game time with Rodrygo, Brahim Díaz and Franco Mastantuono as a winger in Mourinho’s preferred 4-2-3-1 system.

Rodrygo’s continued recovery from an ACL injury suffered this spring mean he will be miss the start of the new season, while there has been talk that Mastantuono could be set for a loan away from the club. This would leave just Díaz as competition for Endrick come August—though Federico Valverde has also filled in at right wing on occasion, despite being more natural as a deeper-lying midfielder.

Regardless, Endrick now has a great opportunity to to shake off the running theme of his nascent career that has been a lack of game time and stake his claim as a Real Madrid player.

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Andrew Headspeath
ANDREW HEADSPEATH

Andy Headspeath is a Real Madrid correspondent for Sports Illustrated FC. Originally from the UK, the weather, culture and soccer lured him to Spain over a decade ago where he lives with his wife, son and two untrainable dogs. A player of unspeakably limited talents and only one fully functional knee, he has more than a decade's experience in a wide variety of editorial roles within sports media, from match reporting to in-depth feature writing and interviews. He specializes in soccer history and culture, as well as—of course—La Liga.

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