Endrick: ‘I want to play for Brazil, but that depends on what I do at Lyon’

In the unlikely event that football doesn’t work out, Endrick could do worse than consider a career in the diplomatic corps.

Since Endrick moved to Lyon on loan from Real Madrid, the 19-year-old Brazil international has charmed the locals by scoring the winner in a Coupe de France victory at Lille, spoken respectfully of his parent club and its fanbase, and all the while made it plain that his overriding priority is to make Brazil’s World Cup squad.

It speaks to his innate humility that Endrick has managed to make what is ostensibly a marriage of convenience feel like more, juggling these competing priorities without losing an iota of goodwill from anyone concerned. He won over Les Gones from the moment he declared at his unveiling, “My heart is in Lyon, my mind is in Lyon,” much as he melted Madridista hearts when he shed tears at his official presentation on joining the club from Palmeiras two summers ago. As for his Madrid team-mates, he has yet to finish replying to the avalanche of congratulatory messages he received after his performance against Lille.

Carlo Ancelotti, who handed the striker his Madrid debut and now presides over the Brazil national team, will inevitably require greater convincing. Struggling for game time at Madrid, for whom he has played all of 22 minutes this season, Endrick was omitted from the past four Brazil squads. Ancelloti has been unequivocal in his insistence that a Seleção recall will be contingent on playing time. Still, that was the point of moving to Lyon. The teenager is determined to work on it.

Endrick: ‘Brazil is the most important team in the world’

“The Brazilian national team is the most important in the world,” the forward told Marca. “Nobody has a guaranteed spot. I want to play for Brazil again, but that depends on what I do now at Lyon. In the first match, I achieved my goal: qualifying for the Cup. It was great, because I was able to score my first goal for the club, but I have to aim higher. If I score more, my chances of being called up will increase.”

Even so, the Brazilian’s focus remains on teamwork rather than personal glory. 

Endrick: ‘I came here to win a title with Lyon’

“I hope to win every match, that’s what’s important,” said Endrick. “I’ll help us win by scoring goals, but we can win with goals from other team-mates. I came here to win a title with Lyon. I didn’t come here to score goals. I’ll work hard to always score, to always be clinical, but sometimes we succeed by giving a team-mate a better chance to score.”

The irony is obvious: Endrick’s perspective aligns perfectly with the collective approach advocated by Xabi Alonso, under whose stewardship minutes were so hard to come by. When Alonso left Real Madrid by mutual agreement this week, Endrick, who was much admired by the Spaniard despite his limited involvement, could have been forgiven for wondering if his switch to the French top-flight had been premature. Would he have been more involved under new head coach Álvaro Arbeloa? It is a question for which he appears to have little appetite. 

Endrick: ‘I learned a lot from Xabi Alonso’

“I learned a lot from Xabi in Madrid,” said Endrick. “He was a top-level player and knows football very well. Although I was injured for a long time and couldn’t train with everyone, I benefited greatly from what I heard from him.”

Perhaps conscious that his words might be seen as a slight on his new coach, Endrick added: “Now I’m learning from [Lyon boss] Paulo Fonseca, who is also meticulous. If you have an open mind, you learn every day from great coaches, and that’s what I’m aiming for.”

Diplomatic to the last.