REAL MADRID
Endrick turns 18 and finally becomes a Real Madrid player
The Brazilian formally becomes a new player for Los Blancos, 584 days after signing, and his presentation date is all set.
It’s been a long wait but finally it’s July 21st 2024 and Endrick can blow out the candles on his cake knowing that he becomes a Real Madrid player in every sense. The Brazilian turns 18 today, Sunday, and his transfer to Los Blancos becomes official. A transfer deal was closed with Palmeiras more than a year and a half ago but deferred to comply with FIFA regulations. It has been 584 days since he committed to Madrid and that agreement, now that he has come of age, takes effect today. Endrick, who has been in the capital all week, is already enjoying his status as a Madridista without any asterisk as he awaits the next event: his presentation at the Santiago Bernabéu on Saturday at noon.
The dream saw pen put to paper on December 15, 2022. That was the day Madrid completed their recruitment work. Once Endrick appeared on Juni Calafat’s radar, the club set its machinery in motion with a strategy previously used when recruiting Vinicius and Rodrygo.
The latest talent to emerge from Brazil had many suitors in Europe: PSG, Chelsea, and Barcelona also tempted him. The Parisian club even put over $80 million on Palmeiras’ table for his rights and those of Estevão, another great promise of the Paulista entity (who will head to Chelsea in 2025). But the player’s desire prevailed. Madrid gave $38 million to Palmeiras and committed to paying another 27 million if the player reached different objectives: starting appearances, goals, titles won, winning the Golden Boy...
Endrick: Real Madrid’s future in the present
That is the future. The present is the arrival of a promise that has already shown the first signs of reality. His experience in the elite and his track record surpass those of Vinicius and Rodrygo when they arrived, who will help him adapt. He has won two Brasileiraos and a Supercopa do Brasil with Palmeiras. At Verdão, he played 82 matches and scored 21 goals. Vini had played 69 matches (14 goals) with Flamengo’s first team, and Rodrygo had 80 appearances (17 goals) with Santos.
Additionally, Endrick arrives in the Valdebebas locker room as an international, a milestone his compatriots achieved after joining Madrid. The Taguatinga native debuted with Brazil’s senior team in November 2023. He has played 10 matches and scored three goals, the first two in career-defining venues: in March, he became the youngest player to score at Wembley, and three days later, he found the net at the Bernabéu.
That Spain-Brazil match served as Endrick’s debut as a player at the Bernabéu. Besides playing the game, the Canarinha also trained at Valdebebas. Although as a guest, Endrick had already visited both the sports city and the stadium. This happened just before the last Christmas, when he traveled to the capital with his family. During that visit, he met President Florentino Pérez (to whom he gifted a signed Brazil jersey), Ancelotti, and his future teammates, and he watched from the stands as they won 4-1 against Villarreal.
Madrid preparations for Endrick, number 16
The trip also laid the foundations for what his life in Madrid will be like. This past week, he arrived in the capital to start this new chapter. He has already settled in, alongside his father, in what will be their new home. He has also discreetly started working at Valdebebas on a personal basis. Endrick is eager to be ready as soon as possible under Ancelotti’s guidance.
He knows his immediate challenge is to earn opportunities in a highly competitive attack, although Joselu’s unexpected departure has moved him up the hierarchy. Endrick has cut short his vacation, enjoying only seven days of rest before traveling to Madrid after Brazil was eliminated from the Copa América. He has chosen a gentle landing, with these days before his presentation and final incorporation into training to help him acclimatise to life in his new city.
On Saturday, he will receive a warm welcome at the Bernabéu once again. At noon, he will finally don the white kit in a presentation where his shirt number will presumably be officially revealed. He will wear number 16, the same he debuted with at Palmeiras. The following day, Sunday 28th, he will be part of the squad heading to Chicago to begin the U.S. tour. Saturday’s event will formalize what is already a fact: the Brazilian is a Real Madrid player. The ‘Endrick era’ begins.