Endrick Felipe was there at the right place and at the right time. As Brazil secured a famous international friendly win with a weakened squad over England, their star boy Endrick Felipe got the winning goal after pouncing on a loose ball inside the box. It was a great win for the Selecao, who started the game with five debutants: João Gomes, Bento, Wendell, Fabrício Bruno, and Lucas Beraldo.
Endrick, who is set to join Real Madrid in July, has already been touted as the next superstar to emerge from the land of Samba, and was already on the cover of the famous Spanish magazine Marca at the young age of 15. The Brazilian was in the middle of an intense transfer war that ended with Los Blancos securing his services.
He is still only 17, but his performance reminds us of a player who has matured far beyond his years. However, there is one problem: a certain Kylian Mbappe is also about to join Real Madrid at the same time as Endrick. There is already a dilemma over which of Mbappe and Vinicius Jr. will play the coveted left-wing spot, and adding Endrick to the fold makes the situation more complicated.
So, what will Endrick Felipe’s role be at Real Madrid?
Endrick Felipe at Palmeiras
Before talking about his role at Real Madrid, we must examine how Endrick performed in the 2023 Brazilian league season. The youngster played a total of 1558 minutes in the 2023 Brazilian league season and was one of the best players in the squad as Palmeiras won back-to-back titles. However, looking at the stats, one runs into a problem: Endrick doesn’t feature in the top five players on almost every attacking metric.
So, was he not that good? Well, this question is immediately answered as soon as we look at the Palmeiras team stats. Endrick ranks as the top scorer for the team with 11 goals to his name, even though his Expected Goals (xG) rating was only 8.14. Endrick was also the second-best player on the team on Expected Threat(xT) from carries and third on Expected Offensive Value Added (xOVA).
So, why does Endrick not appear on the same list at the league level after topping so many metrics at the club? It is because Palmeiras function as a team that is not solely dependent on any one player. In fact, they were the top scorers and conceded the second-least goal in the league.
Endrick’s heatmap from the 2023 season gives us a clear indication of how he functions. The heatmap showed that the youngster loved to operate in the inside right channel from where he takes the ball inside the box. Moreover, he likes to shoot only when in a good position, so ten of his 11 goals came from inside the box.
His shot and goal success rates were impressive, 54 and 22 per cent, respectively. So, Endrick is a top-notch goal scorer who likes to dribble, which is precisely what Real Madrid looks for in their attacker. The teenager also had the third-most touches in the opposition’s box and successful dribbles.
Endrick Felipe at Real Madrid
We have already seen that Endrick is a generational talent. But Real Madrid are also stacked with talent, which means that at the start, the Brazilian might be used as an impact sub. With Kylian Mbappe almost guaranteed to arrive in the summer, Madrid could have a frontline of Vinicius Jr, Mbappe, and Rodrygo. We must also remember that Endrick, however talented he may be, is only 17 and thus has experience of only 71 games. Moreover, players like Mbappe and Vinicius are not only better in stats but have also proved their worth under pressure situations.
Endrick has already drawn comparisons with Ronaldo Nazario, the star for both Brazil and Real Madrid. His playing style is also very similar to the legendary striker’s. Like Ronaldo, he likes to carry the ball forward and create one-on-one situations with the defenders so that he can use his dribbling skills to get past them. However, unlike Vinicius and Mbappe, Endrick focuses solely on scoring goals. In fact, he finished the 2023 league season with zero assists.
Youngest ever player to score at Wembley.
The youngest player to score for Brazil since Ronaldo in 1994.
Endrick Felipe Moreira de Sousa 🇧🇷🌟 pic.twitter.com/R5xcZttfjZ
— All Things Brazil™ 🇧🇷 (@SelecaoTalk) March 23, 2024
His goal against England was not just a case of luck but was the work of his brilliant vision, which allowed him to know where to position himself to take advantage of such situations.
It is the perfect match for Real Madrid, who love players who can change the game in a decisive moment. Over the last few years, Los Blancos have performed some of the biggest comebacks, especially in the Champions League. Most of it was down to players who never lost their nerves in pressure situations (like Rodrygo’s late brace against Manchester City or Vinicus Jr.’s solo goal in a tight final against Liverpool).
Endrick seems to tick all the boxes. The youngster also has great mental fortitude. At the start of the 2023 season, the Brazilian went on a ten-game scoring drought, and after being substituted in a game, he started crying in the dugout. However, he recovered brilliantly to deliver his best season and helped Palmeiras defend their league title.
So, he has the physical attributes and mental resilience to play in an environment as tough as Real Madrid.
Endrick Felipe role at Real Madrid
For the first season or even two, Endrick will have to content himself with being a backup. Despite being a centre-forward, the youngster can play anywhere across the frontline, which means he can be an able deputy to any of Vinicius, Mbappe, and Rodrygo. The teenager has also reached his full potential for the Brazilian league. To take his game to the next level, he will need to play in a far more advanced league, which the Spanish giants offer. He will also learn from some of the best players, which will help him improve further.
With Real Madrid competing for trophies on multiple fronts, he will get his fair share of opportunities. Endrick has just to ensure he is yet again at the right place at the right time, something he has done many times in his career.
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