Real Madrid-bound star Endrick is just 17 but already has his own entourage including a chef, physios and marketing gurus – and he’s signed to Jay-Z’s agency! The £51m man is ready for his Brazil bow

Every now and then a genius emerges from Brazil. Pele in the late 1950s, Zico fifteen years later. Ronaldo in the mid-nineties and Ronaldinho followed quickly behind him. Now a new magician is poised for world stardom.

Endrick made just seven appearances for Palmeiras last December as Real Madrid agreed a £52.5million deal that would see him join them when he turns 18 in July next year.

His star rose as he scored 165 goals in 169 appearances for the Palmeiras youth teams, and he rejected Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain to join his national team-mates Vinicius Jr. in Madrid. and Rodrygo. On Thursday evening, aged 17 years and 118 days, he is expected to make his Brazil debut in a World Cup qualifier in Colombia. Only Pele and two stars of the 1960s, Edu and Coutinho, were younger.

“It has always been an ultimate dream to wear the Brazil jersey,” Endrick told Mail Sport. “Things have happened very quickly in my life, and this is another dream come true. I can only thank my family, agents and Palmeiras, who always believed in me.’

The Brazil box is about to be ticked and despite his young years he will also achieve his other big goal. “My dream since I was little has always been to play for Real Madrid,” he adds. ‘Cristiano Ronaldo is one of my biggest idols. So it’s a great pride to know that I will wear the same shirt as him.’

The 17-year-old is ready to make his debut in the famous yellow jersey on Thursday

Endrick is already signed to Jay Z’s Roc Nation Sports agency and will leave his Nike deal to become the face of New Balance before moving to Madrid.

His entourage already numbers more than a dozen, from chefs to physiotherapists, tactical analysts and marketing professionals, all precision engineering this precious talent.

“Endrick is not just an athlete who executes a move perfectly, but an athlete who makes unexpected moves at different times in the game,” said his Roc Nation manager Thiago Freitas. ‘It’s hard to prepare to meet him because it’s hard to know what to expect. On some of his goals he starts explosively, taking on defenders at high speed, and just when you think he will finish with the same force, he finishes as if he were playing with his younger brother, waiting for the opponent’s goalkeeper fall. He has two hearts, each beating at a completely different rhythm.’

In his own words, Endrick is a little more subtle. Mail Sport asks him to go through the match that sealed his call-up to the national team: a 4-3 victory for Palmeiras over nearest title rivals Botafogo two weeks ago.

Trailing 3–0 away from home at half-time, Endrick took over in the second half, scoring twice and setting up the equalizer before Palmeiras won the match in the 99th minute. He demonstrated all the qualities that Real focused on him: dribbling, explosive pace and a rocket shot with his stronger left foot or his right foot.

“There are only fractions of a second to define the piece,” says Endrick. ‘I did what was necessary at the time. It’s something I’ve been doing since my journey through the youth teams, which is to be happy and play football.

‘It’s about enjoying going forward, dribbling, shooting on goal and doing what it takes to help the team win.’

It hasn’t all been smooth sailing. Endrick’s 2023 started slowly, as he lost his starting spot midway through the season. Now he is back in center stage as Palmeiras’ top scorer in the nine-player competition as they look to retain the title.

“At no point did I hang my head because I wasn’t playing,” he says. ‘It was a period of professional growth. (Palmeira’s boss) Abel Ferreira always talked to me, so I felt more comfortable, respected his decision and kept working. Now the opportunity has come to show what I can do on the field, and I am very grateful for everything that is happening. It is a moment to enjoy and be happy.’

His success is not due to chance. He has natural talent, but also fierce determination.

The 17-year-old is already signed to Jay Z’s Roc Nation Sports agency

Endrick had played just seven times for Palmeiras before Real Madrid agreed a £52.5 million deal

A new magician is ready for worldwide fame and follows in the footsteps of Pele and Ronaldo

“The first two times I met Endrick were just before his fourteenth birthday,” Freitas says. ‘What impressed me most was that he was fully aware of his potential – and of the difference between potential and performance.

‘Young footballers, especially in Brazil, are inundated with attention and most of them believe that their potential is a divine guarantee, that they will excel naturally by simply waiting for time to pass. Endrick was different. His talent was enhanced by himself, not by us.

‘Success only comes when the athlete is willing to make sacrifices. Sacrificing leisure, sacrificing food and sacrificing comfort – to continually demand more from his body and to get used to the pain that this demand brings.”

So far, that sacrifice seems to be paying off.