It may take a while for Endrick, 18, to have a chance at the Brazilian national team again.
The former Palmeiras native, who had been called by Dorival Júnior since the coach took over the national team at the beginning of this year, was left out of the most recent list.
The attackers called up for this month’s matches against Venezuela (away) and Uruguay (home) for the 2026 World Cup qualifiers were Vinicius Junior, Rodrygo, Raphinha, Igor Jesus, Luiz Henrique, Savinho and Estêvão.
As an argument for excluding Endrick, Dorival said about his choices: “Are players performing or not performing? A slightly greater burden on those who are. Why? Because you don’t have time for training, to replace a lost period.”
“The doors are not closed to Endrick, on the contrary, and he knows that. Everything is a matter of a situation in which he returns to his club”, added the coach in the post-call-up interview.
Explanations are welcome, and this is one. Convincing? Not so much.
Since arriving at Real Madrid in the middle of this year, Endrick has almost always been on the bench.
Carlo Ancelotti’s starters in attack are Rodrygo, the Frenchman Mbappé and Vini Jr. Endrick has been the first option for the offensive sector when the Italian coach wants to give “new energy” there.
The number 16 played very little. A total of 39 minutes in the Spanish Championship, in seven games, always included during them. He scored a goal. And 57 minutes in the Champions League, in two games – he started one of them. He also scored a goal.
In nine matches, less than a hundred minutes on the field, not counting stoppage time. And the low-minute scenario promises to continue, unless, from the Rodrygo-Mbappé-Vini trio, someone cannot play, either due to injury or suspension.
But this situation, the reserve at Real, was not an impediment for Dorival to include Endrick in the previous call-ups, one in August, another in September.
What changed? The lack of goals for the team.
In the first half of the year, he scored in friendlies against England (1-0), Spain (3-3) and Mexico (3-2). Against the English and Mexicans, the winning goal was his.
In the Qualifiers, on three occasions, he did not score. He started as a starter against Paraguay, in a game that Brazil lost, and came on during the second half in the victories against Chile and Peru.
I’m absolutely sure that if Endrick had scored in one of the October games (Chile and Peru), he would have been called up now.
The goal has a devastating influence on the coaches’ minds. Botafoguenses Luiz Henrique and Igor Jesus, plus former Flamengo fan Andreas Pereira, say so. Everyone has recently scored for the national team.
Andreas’ case is symbolic.
The Fulham (England) midfielder was not a priority for Dorival. He was only included on the penultimate list because Vini Jr. was injured and was cut. He took advantage: he entered the second half against the Peruvians and scored a great volley. That’s it, a place guaranteed in the next call.
As Endrick’s star did not shine in these matches, he lost his place. He will have to make the most of (read: score goals) Real Madrid’s currently scarce minutes to get it back.
It may not be easy at all.
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