Endrick sends Lyon fans emotional farewell message “Lion cannot stay in one place”

After a successful loan spell in France, Endrick seems destined for a Real Madrid return. Before going back to the club that brought him to Europe, he made sure to bid adieu to the fans that have embraced him over the last four months.

A Lion leaving

Endrick needed to play, and it wasn’t shaping up for him at the Bernabeu this season. Neither Xabi Alonso nor Alvaro Arbeloa were giving the teenager the minutes he was needing to continue to grow as a player and to have a chance to make the World Cup squad. So he left.

It was a deal that benefited both sides. Endrick plugged in to a Lyon side that immediately made him an important piece of the puzzle, while Real Madrid saw what their future sensation can do when given regular playing time. In 21 appearances for Lyon, he scored eight goals and assisted another 8 as he quickly became a fan favorite.

All good things come to an end, and for Endrick, his time in Lyon came to an end over the weekend. He played his final match with the French club, but before moving on, he looked back at his time at the Parc Olympique Lyonnais. “In Brazil, when someone is going through a difficult time, it’s often said that they must ‘kill a lion every day’. For several months, I experienced a situation that no athlete should ever have to face, but I decided that I wasn’t going to kill a single lion. I decided to become one.”

World Cup coming for Endrick

He was welcomed with open arms, but it wasn’t always easy for the teenager in a new club, in a new city, in a new role. There were ups and downs, and some heavy scrutiny from the media, but he never let that affect him. “It’s here that I found what I needed to regain my strength. To follow my instinct. To attack like a lion. To defend my family, who supported me, and those who welcomed me so warmly,” continued Endrick.

The Brazilian sensation came to a Lyon side that was in need of a spark, and he revolutionized the way Paolo Fonseca’s side played. Lyon would climb up the standings and finish top four in Ligue 1. “The months of anxiety have given way to months of joy, victories, but also learning. I’ve made new friends. I’ve grown even closer to those I already had, and I’ve discovered that our place is wherever we are, with those we love, and with those who love us. That’s why this time spent with them and with you would undoubtedly make a great film,” said Endrick about his time in Lyon.

The tribute video ended by him looking to the future while thanking the fans and the club for everything. “Unfortunately... a lion cannot stay in one place,” Endrick added. “I must now take my leave and begin a return journey that will be much longer because I am leaving with far more baggage than I had when I arrived. And even when this journey comes to an end, I will carry this city within me, for the rest of my life, in my heart and in my memory. Every time I see the smile of my son, whom God has given to our family here. Thank you for everything Lyon, you will always be in my heart.” Now Endrick will prepare for the World Cup before returning to the Spanish capital.

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