FANTASY becomes reality tomorrow for football’s next big thing.
Endrick, the 17-year-old sensation and emerging hope for Brazil, takes on England at Wembley tomorrow evening and then Spain on Tuesday at his soon-to-be new home, the Santiago Bernabeu.
The striker, who will move to Real Madrid in July and has been likened to Samba great Ronaldo, has only ever experienced the two iconic grounds on PlayStation.
Palmeiras whizkid Endrick said: “By playing video games, I know both stadiums.
“It will be incredible to see how majestic they are, how grand they are, how many people they hold.
“I hope it will be wonderful. I am sure we will get two victories.”
London was all set to be Endrick’s permanent residence until Todd Boehly backed out of a deal to sign him for Chelsea.
The wonderkid-obsessed Blues owner was so far down the line with a proposed move for the prodigious striker that a church had even been found for him to attend.
Endrick and his family had been invited over to take in Chelsea’s 1-0 home defeat to Arsenal and met the likes of Thiago Silva, Cesar Azpilicueta, Jorginho and then boss Graham Potter.
Even the capital’s gloomy weather did not put off the young forward with his dad Douglas commenting: “Endrick really likes playing in the rain.”
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But Boehly had a change of heart over splashing £51.4million on a 16-year-old who would not arrive from Palmeiras for another two years – and pulled the plug.
In stepped Real, who a month later announced they had agreed to buy Endrick in a deal that will see him pitch up at the Bernabeu in four months.
He will likely be joined by Kylian Mbappe, whose widely-expected switch from Paris Saint-Germain could take the shine off Endrick’s long-awaited arrival.
Though not if you talk to any of his team-mates in the current Brazil squad, who cannot speak highly enough of the teenager.
Lucas Paqueta likened him to the ‘R9’ Ronaldo – the Brazilian one who went to the 1994 World Cup at 17 and won La Liga with Real – and is not the first to make that comparison.
The West Ham midfielder, 26, said: “His speed and strength to take the ball forward reminds me of Ronaldo.
“Of course, he is just a boy and is very young and will grow a lot.
“There are some characteristics that remind me of him. He can develop to be a huge player.”
It is the other Ronaldo, Cristiano who broke all kinds of scoring records at Real where he won four Champions League titles, that Endrick claims is his idol.
CR7 elevated himself to the world stage, of course, at Manchester United, where current Brazil squad-member Andrea Pereira also came through five years after the Portuguese mega star left Old Trafford for the first time.
Speaking about Endrick, Fulham ace Pereira, 28, added: “When I was in Brazil with Flamengo I could already see what he could do.
“He is such a massive, massive player and has massive potential.”
Like both Ronaldos, Endrick is ice-cool in front of goal – becoming the first player under 18 since Neymar to reach double figures in the Brazilian league – and has even said himself that he can be “very cold” in his demeanour.
He has a rags-to-riches backstory typical of so many Selecao stars, describing his childhood growing up in Taguatinga, close to the capital of Brasilia, as “very complicated and very difficult”.
At one point, he lived in an orphanage for six months with his two sisters.
And while he claims he never went hungry, he says his parents starved for him and his siblings instead.
Dad Douglas tried to make it as a player himself without real success, at one point in the 1980s hitch-hiking to Sao Paulo where he slept rough.
He is now able to live vicariously through his son, though, who made a prediction on camera aged 11 that he would one day play for Real – and is now months away from realising that bold call.
Tomorrow he could link up with his future team-mates Vinicius Jnr and Rodrygo in Dorival Jnr’s new-look Real squad – and face Jude Bellingham in the England ranks.
The pair have already been exchanging messages on Instagram and could now share a pitch for what is set to be the first of many, many memorable matches.
Speaking of Brazil’s rejuvenated contingent under Dorival – which includes ELEVEN uncapped players – Endrick added: “It’s going to be a good period with a new team, a new coach, new staff. Everything is new.
“I hope I can contribute with everything that is asked of me.”
The focus will be on Mbappe arriving in Madrid should his blockbuster switch go through.
But Endrick Felipe Moreira de Sousa, with his powerful legs, rocket of a left-foot and frightening potential, will not plan on surrendering the limelight for long.
As Pereira said: “The world has to look out for a big, big player and for sure he is going to deliver.”
