Why 'The New Pele' Is Still Fighting For a Spot on Brazil's 2026 World Cup Squad

At the very start of the year, it looked like Endrick's dream of making Brazil's World Cup squad was dead in the water. The Real Madrid youngster only played 99 minutes for the club in the first half of the season, with then-Blancos boss Xabi Alonso favouring homegrown forward Gonzalo Garcia ahead of him, and a move away became inevitable in the winter transfer window. Fortunately, Endrick found the perfect club. Since officially completing a loan move to Lyon on January 1, the 19-year-old has rediscovered the electrifying form that made him one of the hottest prospects on the planet at Palmeiras, registering six goal involvements in his first seven appearances for the Ligue 1 outfit. All of a sudden, Endrick looks every inch the €60 million $71m player Madrid thought they were buying when they initially won the race for his signature back in December 2022. It's been a remarkable turnaround that has naturally sparked talk of an imminent return to the Brazil fold, with the March international break just around the corner. Selecao boss Carlo Ancelotti witnessed Endrick's talent up close in his final year at Madrid, and even personally advised the teenager to leave the Bernabeu to boost his World Cup chances. Endrick will definitely be back in Ancelotti's thinking now, which is an achievement in itself. However, the cruel reality is that he is still facing an uphill battle to book a seat on the plane for the 2026 tournament in North America. As good as he's been for Lyon so far, some signs of immaturity remain, and with Brazil boasting more attacking depth than any other nation, he is going to have to be near-flawless from here on in to stand out from his peers. Challenging start Although Endrick ultimately failed to live up to unrealistic expectations in his first year at Madrid, he wasn't a complete failure. The Brazilian ace scored on his debut in both La Liga and the Champions League, and became the first Blancos player since Cristiano Ronaldo to net five goals in a single Copa del Rey campaign, eventually finishing as the competition's joint-top scorer. He was, however, only restricted to a nine-minute extra-time cameo in Real's final defeat to Barcelona. Ancelotti overlooked Endrick in the most important games, also giving him just 35 minutes of action across the Champions League knockout rounds. As early as September, Ancelotti was forced to justify Endrick's lack of playing time: "Yes, I may be being unfair, because he is training well. But in front of him are Vinicius [Jr], Rodrygo, [Kylian] Mbappe... it is necessary for him to be a little patient." By February, the Italian tactician was convinced of Endrick's quality, but identified a key area to improve: "He has a lot of accuracy, he’s quick, powerful and although he still needs to handle the ball better, he’s got that release, that finishing. His shooting is spectacular. He’s very young, but he’s a very quick learner." Indeed, Endrick's decision-making was erratic and his penchant for holding onto the ball too long disrupted Madrid's flow. Ancelotti was never going to bow to outside pressure regarding Endrick's development, and always retained the ex-Palmeiras' talisman's full trust despite only using him in a bit-part role. "He's happy, working hard and he looks motivated. I'm thrilled with him," Ancelotti said in April. "If you want to be at Real Madrid, you have to suck it up on the bench for a bit." Completely shut out Ancelotti was an ally for Endrick, and it was a big blow when the coach announced his Madrid departure in early May. Alonso was quickly lined up as Ancelotti's successor, but Endrick's hopes of making an instant impression on the Spaniard were dashed when he suffered a serious hamstring injury at the end of the month, which ruled him out of the Club World Cup. Academy prospect Garcia went on to earn a share of the Golden Boot in Madrid's run to the semi-finals, and subsequently a promotion to the senior squad. By the time Endrick returned to full fitness in September, he had fallen to a distance fifth in the frontline pecking order. According to The Athletic, when Alonso chose Garcia to come on instead of him for the final 20 minutes of a La Liga clash with Getafe on October 19, Endrick bowed to his entourage's desire to arrange a loan exit. Alonso was certainly not giving any indication that the Brazil international's situation would change any time soon, telling TNT Sports after again keeping him on the bench in a Champions League win over Juventus three days later: "It's clear everyone wants to play. And a young player even more so. Given the context, we want to compete right now, and it's difficult depending on the match." There were numerous other reasons for Alonso's eventual sacking in January, but The Athletic adds that some club officials were confused by his treatment of Endrick and grew worried that he could stagnate, so they reluctantly entertained the idea of a temporary transfer. 'Right at home' Endrick had tunnel vision once Lyon came calling, ignoring interest from a host of other clubs. He was eager to follow in the footsteps of fellow countrymen Juninho Pernambucano, Edmilson, Bruno Guimaraes and Lucas Paqueta, while the presence of Portuguese head coach Paulo Fonseca was another deciding factor. "The fact that the technical staff is Portuguese is a very good thing, because I was already coached by a Portuguese coach, Abel Ferreira, at Palmeiras," Endrick said at his unveiling. "It's good for me, because I know how they operate. It was a plus point." Remarkably, he also held no bitterness towards Alonso after a lengthy period on the sidelines: "These have been the best months of my career because I've had time to be with my wife, to build my house and my life." That disarming positivity has helped him make a flying start at the Groupama Stadium. Endrick was immediately thrust into Fonesca's line up for a Coupe de France round-of-32 tie against Lille, and marked the occasion by scoring the winning goal. He showed his predatory instincts when ghosting in at the back post to calmly slot home on the half-volley and give his new side a 2-1 victory, one of six shots he managed while terrorising the Lille backline. "I’m very happy to be back on the pitch and to have my smile back," he said to beIN Sports after the game. "It’s great, much better than I imagined. I can joke around with the whole team; I’ve gotten to know everyone well, I speak Spanish and English. I feel right at home." Benzema comparisons Endrick also shone on his Ligue 1 bow against Brest, providing his first assist (one of five chances he created) while completing eight dribbles to inspire Lyon to a 2-1 win. That set the stage for an awe-inspiring performance the following week away at Metz. The Madrid loanee hit a brilliant hat-trick as Lyon ran out comprehensive 5-2 winners; Endrick broke the deadlock early with a delightful dink over the goalkeeper, slotted home to double his account after a rapid sprint from the halfway line right on half-time, and rounded off the scoring with a perfectly executed penalty, which he won himself. That was the first treble of Endrick's career, and it made him the youngest player to score three goals in one game for Lyon, breaking the record Bernard Lacombe had held for 54 years. Lyon fans were treated to even more magic by the Brazilian in a Coupe de France last-16 clash with Stade Lavallois. The second-tier side were successfully frustrating Lyon until the 79th minute, when Endrick pipped a defender to a loose ball on the edge of the box and smashed the ball high into the net - almost taking it off entirely. That sensational strike set Lyon on their way to a 2-0 victory and in sight of a first major trophy since 2012. In the space of just over four weeks, Endrick had become a new hero for the Groupama Stadium faithful, earning comparisons to a club icon. "I saw Karim Benzema grow up in Lyon," former defender Cris said to French broadcaster Telefoot. "He had a tremendous character. When I see Endrick, I see the same thing. He can beat defenders one-on-one, he can make the difference in the box." Back down to earth Endrick picked up the Ligue 1 Player of the Month award for January, and he's been named Player of the Match in three of his seven appearances in a Lyon shirt. However, his momentum stalled when he was sent off in the 1-0 league win at Nantes. He was initially shown a second yellow card for what seemed to be an innocuous tangle of legs, only for the referee to bizarrely upgrade it to a straight red after a VAR review. Fonseca later described the decision as "very harsh", and Lyon lodged a successful appeal that brought Endrick's suspension down to one game. There were no arguments about Endrick's first yellow, though, as he blatantly pulled his opponent's shirt after overrunning the ball. "Endrick needs to learn from this situation; I spoke with him," Fonseca added. "He needs to understand that he is a player who now has the full attention of everyone involved." That was a warning and reality check rolled into one for Endrick; consistent standards must be upheld if he is to be more than just a flash in the pan, in terms of both discipline and playing level. Alas, he fell short in the latter category upon his return from suspension at Strasbourg last weekend. Lyon went into the game full of confidence after a 13-game winning run in all competitions - one short of the club record set under Gerard Houllier in 2006 - and sat third in the Ligue 1 standings, with talk of a possible title tilt building. The wheels came off at the Stade de la Meinau, though, with Endrick among the worst performers as Lyon slumped to a 3-1 defeat. He only managed 31 touches in 90 minutes and gave away possession 15 times, inviting fierce criticism from ex-France manager Raymond Domenech. "He was useless and provided no solutions. All attackers must do real defensive work, offer solutions and give a bit of depth. He didn't do any of that," Domenech said while covering the match as a pundit for La Chaine L’Equipe. "He provides no options in behind, and when he does have the ball, he simply loses it. Sometimes he just chips the ball over the top or holds onto it. Frankly, the fact that he stayed on the pitch for the entire match was disappointing." Selection headache Endrick is a potential match-winner on his day, an explosive, powerful forward with a wicked left foot and superb close control. That's why Madrid didn't give Lyon a purchase option when sanctioning his loan; he's still seen as an important part of their future plans. The glaring weakness Ancelotti pointed out remains, though. Endrick doesn't get his head up enough, too often opting to go it alone when team-mates are in better positions. That may well count against him when it comes time for the Brazil boss to name his final World Cup squad. Managers can only take 26 players, and Ancelotti faces a major headache in the final third. Lyon have been using Endrick as a right winger, but realistically, he won't get a look-in there for the Selecao, given he is up against Raphinha, Rodrygo and Estevao Willian. As versatile as the talented teen is, he is not going to usurp Vinicius on the opposite side either, or indeed his usual deputy Gabriel Martinelli. That leaves him fighting for a No.9 berth, where he made a name for himself at Palmeiras. Endrick hasn't featured for his country since March last year, with Ancelotti instead calling up six other players as options through the middle: Matheus Cunha, Richarlison, Joao Pedro, Vitor Roque, Igor Jesus and Kaio George. Gabriel Jesus has also just returned to action at Arsenal after a long injury layoff, and Brentford's Igor Thiago is being tipped to break into the squad amid his battle with Erling Haaland for the Premier League Golden Boot. Only two or three of those names will likely make the cut, meaning Ancelotti will have to schedule some tough phone calls. As it stands, one will probably be to Endrick. The good news is that he still has plenty of time to change his situation, with the deadline for manager selections not until June 1. Lyon potentially have 21 fixtures still to play, should they reach the Coupe de France and Europa League finals, and Fonesca is acutely aware of what Endrick must do to reach the next level. "Everyone knows he wants to be in the Brazil team, and he understands how important it is to perform here to achieve this goal. I’m trying to keep him balanced, humble and responsible," he recently told The Athletic. "To help him understand that he can help the team - but also that the team can help him." If Endrick takes all of that on board, it may be impossible for Ancelotti to overlook him.