Brazil has always produced some of the best footballers.
In recent years the greatest player to leave the country for Europe is Neymar. Since then, others have followed suit - Vinicius Júnior, Gabriel Jesus and Antony, for example. And all of these played in the Copa São Paulo, nicknamed Copinha, one of the top U-20 competitions in the world.
The 2021 edition, which kicked off on Jan. 2, is packed with incredible, eye-popping talent. One of those that has stood out is Endrick, centre forward for Palmeiras.
In the two games so far he has amassed around 90 minutes but scored four goals. And what’s most impressive, he’s only 15-years-old.
Endrick se livra dos marcadores e toca com categoria na saída do goleiro. APENAS 15 ANOS! Real Ariquemes 0x2 Palmeiras#Copinha2022 pic.twitter.com/tynsgO9VsJ
— Goleada Info (@goleada_info) January 8, 2022
The Story of Endrick
Endrick is from Brasilia, the capital of Brazil. Before arriving at Palmeiras, he trained with São Paulo and Corinthians, great rivals of the last Libertadores champions. Such was the competition for his signature, it was necessary for the club that hired him to pay for the rest of his family to live with him, since they come from another state. The other clubs didn't want to do that, but Palmeiras accepted.
In 2016, he trained with Palmeiras; at the beginning of the following year, he went to the state of São Paulo with his mother and, following months, the club offered a job as a janitor for the boy's father. Since then he has become a phenomenon.
Endrick, whilst still young, is already able to compete with players older than him. In August 2021, he made his debut for the club's under-20’s, and has since taken turns playing for them and the under-17’s. He always stands out and dominates the game.
To get a sense of how young he is, Endrick was born just days after Zidane's iconic headbutt on Marco Materazzi at the 2006 World Cup.
Endrick is only 15 years old, already making name for himself at Palmeiras U20. (Photo: Palmeiras official Twitter account)
Endrick’ Style of Play
Watching him play is awesome, the amount of talent is daunting. Endrick finishes well with both feet. He is 1.73m tall and still has room to grow, and his good momentum helps him in aerial battles. He has a physique well above athletes of his age, which allows him to compete easily with players up to five years older. And, to top that off, as well as being a good dribbler, he is able to score goals in any way possible.
It’s no surprise that European giants such as Real Madrid, Barcelona and Liverpool are following him. As he is not yet 16 years old, the striker does not have a professional contract with Palmeiras, and can’t play for the senior squad. But his father has already given an interview saying that, when he turns 16 in July, he will sign with Verdão.
The young man's family shows great gratitude to the club. In addition to employing Douglas, the striker's father, and overseeing Endrick’s path into professional football, there is a beautiful story with a Palmeiras idol.
Jailson, the club’s goalkeeper between 2014 and 2021, discovered that Endrick's father was unable to eat the same food as the other employees, as he had only eight teeth in his mouth. He noticed that Douglas was getting thin, and thought he couldn't do anything. Jailson paid for a procedure that implanted a dental prosthesis in Douglas’ mouth, and allowed him to start eating normally again.
