Endrick Felipe Moreira de Sousa came to the world on 21 July 2006 and is known better as Endrick. He is a Brazilian professional footballer, who plays as a forward for Campeonato Brasileiro Série A club Palmeiras and recently the Brazil national team.
He will join La Liga club Real Madrid in July 2024.
Endrick was born in Taguatinga, Federal District with one brother and two sisters. His father, Douglas de Sousa Silva Ramos, had also pursued a career in professional football, leaving his family when Endrick was just eleven to play for multiple small clubs in Brasília.
His mother was unemployed and homeless during that time, forcing Endrick and his siblings to reside in an orphanage at São Paulo until his father returned after six months.
Both his parents worked at a cafe on the city’s underground train station before his father received employment by Palmeiras as a janitor.
Endrick started playing football at the ripe age of four and his father published his goals on YouTube with the hope to attract interested parties among the big Brazilian clubs.
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Beginning of his career at Palmeiras
After nearly signing for São Paulo, Endrick joined the Palmeiras youth team at the age of 11. He would go on to score 165 goals in 169 games for Palmeiras youth teams in the next five years.
Endrick would also participate in the 2022 Copa São Paulo de Futebol Júnior, where he scored eight goals in seven matches and was voted Player of the Tournament by supporters, after leading Palmeiras to their first title.
Following the tournament, he caught the attention of international media and several major European clubs.
Endrick made his senior professional debut on 6 October 2022, coming on as a second-half substitute in Palmeiras’ 4–0 league win over Coritiba. At the age of 16 years, two months and 16 days, he became the youngest player to appear for the Palmeiras first team.
He scored his first two goals on 25 October, in a 3–1 win over Athletico Paranaense, becoming the second youngest goalscorer in the history of Brazil’s Série A.
Endrick then achieved his first trophy with the first team, winning the league with three games in hand following a 4–0 home win over Fortaleza on 2 November.
He scored his third goal in seven appearances during the match as Palmeiras secured an eleventh league title in club history.
His performance that season would lead him to be voted the most promising player in the Brazilian Série A.
Real Madrid
On December 15, 2022, Real Madrid, a La Liga club, revealed that they had come to a deal with Palmeiras, Endrick, and his family to acquire him once he reaches the age of 18 in July 2024. The exact amount of the official signing fee was not disclosed by the clubs.
However, reports indicated it was a potentially extendable three-year contract for a set sum of €60 million plus €12 million in taxes. Alternatively, some sources suggested the fee was set at €35 million initially, with an additional €25 million contingent upon meeting specific sporting objectives.
His International Journey
On March 18, 2022, Endrick received a call-up to the Brazilian national under-17 squad for the 2022 Montaigu Tournament held in France. During the tournament, he netted five goals in four matches, including one in the final against Argentina.
This performance led him to become the tournament’s top scorer and earn the title of the best player, as Brazil clinched their first Montaigu Tournament victory since 1984.
Initially, Endrick was named in Brazil’s under-20 team for the 2023 South American Youth Championship in Colombia.
However, due to Palmeiras’ decision not to release him, he was unable to join the squad. Palmeiras chose to prioritize his presence for their pre-season, which coincided with the championship scheduled for January and February.
Subsequently, Endrick was chosen to represent Brazil in the under-23 team at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, France. On January 23, 2024, he made his debut by scoring the sole goal in a Pre-Olympic match against Bolivia, securing a 1–0 victory for his side.
Endrick received his first call-up to the Brazil national team on November 6, 2023, for the 2026 World Cup qualifiers against Colombia and Argentina. He made history by becoming the youngest male player to earn a senior call-up since Ronaldo in 1994.
During his debut match against Colombia, Endrick became the fourth youngest player of all time and the youngest in 57 years to debut for Brazil. Despite his team’s 2–1 loss at the Estadio Metropolitano Roberto Meléndez, Colombia secured their first-ever victory over Brazil in qualifiers.
In a friendly match against England at Wembley Stadium on March 23, 2024, Endrick scored his first goal for Brazil, becoming the youngest player to score for club or country at the stadium.
He would then put on a masterclass display against Spain in the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu, scoring his first goal in a stadium he would soon call home as Brazil and Spain drew 3-3 in their international friendly.
