Everything you need to know about Endrick: club, career history, age, transfer status of the Brazilian and sensation at Real Madrid

Brazilian fans are hoping their latest teenage talent will emerge as a hero at the 2024 Copa America after 17-year-old Endrick Felipe was named in the Seleçao’s tournament squad.

The teenager – better known as Endrick – has exploded into the Brazilian national team over the past 12 months after an incredible rise to first-team stardom at his club Palmeiras.

Brazil has an incredible track record of developing exciting strikers and Endrick is likely to join illustrious company in the famous yellow jersey in the USA.

If some Copa America fans haven’t heard of Endrick before the tournament starts, they will know all about him once the competition begins, as he looks set to make an impression on the big stage.

MORE: Full Copa America 2024 schedule and latest results, updated live

Who is Endrick?

Endrick’s rise to Brazilian soccer stardom was not easy. His parents were born into poverty and his father – a semi-professional soccer player in Brasilia – grew up in an orphanage for a while.

Endrick himself has not endured the same level of hardship, but he understands the sacrifices his parents made, telling the Guardian in 2023: “I never went hungry, but my parents did. They went hungry for me. That gave me a lot of strength because I didn’t want them to do that again. I didn’t want them to be in need, to give me food and they have to go without.”

In October 2022, just over two months after his 16th birthday, he made his debut for Palmeiras’ first team after boasting an incredible goalscoring record for the club’s youth teams.

In five years as an academy player, he reportedly scored 165 goals in 169 games before being promoted to the first team and scoring 14 goals in his first full season in 2023.

Endrick’s club career, goals, trophies

In the final weeks of the 2022 season, he initially made an easy entry into the team that won the Campeonato Brasileiro title in Serie A with three league goals. title. However, after being promoted to the first team permanently for the 2023 season, he improved his form and played a key role in the title defence.

Before the start of the Copa America 2024 Endrick scored 21 goals in 82 appearances for Palmeiras across all competitions.

Endrick’s career in Brazil

His club form at Palmeiras caught the eye of former Brazil interim coach Fernando Diniz, who called him up to the senior team for the first time in November 2023 after scoring goals for fun at U17 and U19 level.

By making his senior national team debut that same month in a 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier against Colombia, Endrick became the fourth-youngest debutant for Brazil’s senior national team and the youngest in 57 years, at 17 years, 3 months and 27 days.

Endrick wasn’t done writing his name in the record books, however, as in March he scored a superb winning goal in a friendly against England to secure fourth place on the list of youngest ever goalscorers – just 20 days younger than the legendary Ronaldo Nazario.

Youngest player to score for Brazil since Ronaldo Nazario in 1994.@Endrick pic.twitter.com/EMIEJIXjgQ

— Managing Madrid (@managingmadrid) March 24, 2024

Is Endrick moving to Real Madrid?

With Endrick’s wild goalscoring career attracting so much attention in Brazil, transfer links to major European clubs were made in 2022, but Real Madrid made the first move.

Los Blancos have built a reputation for signing top Brazilian talent at a young age, with current stars Rodrygo Goes and Vincius Junior a testament to their successful strategy.

Real Madrid announced that they had reached an agreement with Palmeiras to bring him to the Spanish capital at the end of 2023, but not until he turns 18 in July 2024, just a week after the Copa America final.

🟢👋🏻 Endrick before his last game for Palmeiras as he will move to Real Madrid in July.

📸 André Pera pic.twitter.com/CtxuUCweQJ

— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) May 30, 2024

Due to Endrick’s age, Real Madrid were forced to involve his family in the negotiations. A three-year contract was agreed as part of an undisclosed transfer fee.

Endrick will join Real Madrid after the Copa America and share the spotlight with another new signing Kylian Mbappe as Carlo Ancelotti looks to build on the Champions League and La Liga double in 2025.