Endrick makes an impact on Brazil in terms of sponsorships, 3rd in squad

While the world get used to seeing Palmeiras forward Endrick in the yellow of Brazil, the brands that follow footballers have been keeping a close eye on the future Real Madrid star. At just 17-years-old, the forward from Taguatinga has become the player with the third-highest number of sponsors in the squad, behind only Vinicius Jr and Rodrygo, his future teammates at Real Madrid.

While Vini Jr and Neymar continue to be the face of the team, it is Endrick who is creeping up behind in terms of financial interest from companies looking to promote their products.

Why Vini Jr is an example to follow

“Although he’s very young, Vini has already consolidated himself at one of the biggest clubs in the world and in the most important national team. He has already won a Champions League and had an important role in doing so, he is a symbol of overcoming obstacles and success in sport for the majority of Brazilians. As well as this, he does not shy away from important social questions, through his positions or contribution to his community. All of this constantly increases the number of brands interested in him.”

These are the words of Frederica Pena, the CEO of Roc Nation Sports Brasil, when she spoke to AS. The agency represents players such as Vini Jr himself and Endrick, as well as Lucas Paquetá, Gabriel Martinelli and Lorran, the young rising star at Flamengo.

“Even having in mind the Brazilian national team”, said Fábio Wolff, an expert in sports marketing, “there are very few who care for their image with a plan and a long/medium-term strategy. A good example of this is Vinicius Jr, who has an excellent image due to his performances on the pitch and his positioning away from it. It’s no surprise that he stands out in the publicity market”. He is the head of Wolff Sports, a company that manages the images of Palmeiras players Endrick and Luis Guilherme.

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Endrick’s media impact is already huge

Since the media explosion surrounding the player just over a year ago, it’s clear to see that Endrick’s impact on the world of football has made sure it is here to stay. His effect on the game has been comparable to that of Neymar, Vinicius and Rodrygo, players who Endrick seems to emulate. At just 17-years-old, the forward proudly holds three sponsorship deals: the first one was signed when he was just 15-years-old, with OdontoCompany; the second was agreed just months ago, when he signed as the ambassador to the company Rei do Pitaco, a mobile phone game. He also has a deal with HBO Max.

After the media success of the player he now finds himself, as mentioned, with Wolff Sports who, since 2022, have become the exclusive agency when it comes to his public and commercial contracts. Since then, one of the defining guidelines has been to take advantage of the impact of social media to tell his own story in order to show off the player’s behaviour as a product for brands.

“He’s a kid who has always shown the maturity to understand the steps required to have success both on and off the pitch, in terms of business and social media. Nowadays, digital platforms have a global reach, from fans to potential business partners. It’s very strange to see professionals of his age with that worry and unlimited power of engagement”, explains Wolff.

Endrick is set to be a huge name for the future

“People like to see what goes on off the pitch, you just have to look at the numbers of the videos posted by the clubs around what they post in the dressing room”, Wolff continued, “it’s always much more. That’s why we believe in something that tells more of a story. The Netflix series ‘Drive to Survive’ is a great example. We want a relationship with a maximum of 8 companies, but ones that associate the name Endrick in the construction of real stories, not just a financial exchange.”

For Thiago Freitas, COO of Roc Nation Sports in Brazil, building a brand, an image and off-pitch influence is one of the fundamentals of the company: “We aren’t only worried about how things go on the pitch, in training. Today, fans, hardcore or not, consume more footballer products than ever before. You can see players with millions more followers than clubs, and that reality is part of the life of every one of those professionals. We want to be the agency who identifies, empowers and represents the majority of Brazilian talent.”

The game between Colombia and Brazil will be played on November 16 with kick off at 7:00 p.m. ET / 4:00 p.m. PT. After that, Brazil play Argentina at the Maracaná on Tuesday 21 November 2023 with kick-off at 7.30 p.m. ET / 4.30 p.m. PT.