Endrick's Copa America struggles for Brazil shouldn't worry Real Madrid: Teenage wonderkid remains a raw talent who needs time to adjust to the highest level

Before Brazil kicked off their 2024 Copa campaign in the United States, Endrick was bestowed with the famous No.9 jersey, once worn by two-time World Cup winner Ronaldo Nazario. It was seen as a show of faith from Dorival, and many expected him to be a starter in the group stages, not least because he managed to find the net again in a 3-2 win over Mexico in Brazil's penultimate warm-up game.

But on the eve of their Copa opener against Costa Rica, the head coach revealed that the teenager would have to be content with a substitute role. "We need to be careful with Endrick. It's something that will happen naturally. It might not take long because he is extremely skillful," Dorival said when outlining his plan for the youngster. "I'm in a hurry to get him on the pitch, but you have to have a certain balance. He has excellent skills and is one of the most promising players."

Endrick got his chance with 20 minutes remaining against Costa Rica, but couldn't prevent Brazil from playing out a hugely disappointing, goalless stalemate. The Palmeiras wonderkid was given half that time in their next outing, a 4-1 win over Paraguay, and only made a very brief cameo in the Selecao's 1-1 draw with Colombia on matchday three.

Brazil qualified for the quarter-finals without really needing to use Endrick, though there was some clamour for him to have a bigger role due to the team's lack of cutting edge upfront. And as fate would have it, a spot opened up courtesy of a suspension for star forward Vinicius Jr, who picked up his second booking of the tournament against Colombia.

"Maybe it's Endrick's time to shine," Dorival said ahead of Brazil's quarter-final tie with Uruguay. Unfortunately, the talented, Madrid-bound teenager couldn't make the most it.

Uruguay went into the game as slight favourites, having breezed through their group with maximum points. Marcelo Bielsa's side could also take confidence from a dominant 2-0 win over the Selecao in 2026 World Cup qualifying back in October. But Saturday's game was a far more tense affair.

Both teams struggled to carve out clear chances at the Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, and frustrations boiled over at times, with 41 fouls awarded in total over the course of the match. One of the more nasty ones came from Nahitan Nandez in the 74th minute as he went in studs up on Rodrygo, which earned him a deserved red card after a VAR review, and Brazil spent the next 16 minutes camped in the Uruguay half.

The winning goal never came, though, and Endrick couldn't make any meaningful impact. According to Sofascore, he only had 23 touches in the entire match, and Uruguay made a point of bullying him into submission.

Endrick lost possession a grand total of 14 times and managed just a solitary shot at goal, which explains his dismal expected goals (xG) total of 0.03. Unsurprisingly, he was not chosen to take one of Brazil's five spot-kicks in the penalty shootout, which they lost 4-2.

To say that Dorival's side didn't carry anywhere near the same threat with Endrick leading the line instead of Vinicius is an understatement. Endrick was completely anonymous, which was underlined by the shocking fact he only managed to complete one pass - from the kick-off at the very start of the game.

Endrick was given a baptism of fire in the U.S, but none of the blame for Brazil's disastrous Copa campaign should be laid at his door. Unlike Spain and Barcelona's 16-year-old sensation Lamine Yamal, who has been lighting up Euro 2024, this was Endrick's first taste of football at the very highest level, and he wasn't playing in a world-class team.

Brazil are in the middle of a frustrating transitional period. Dorival is managing a disjointed squad short on confidence, with the midfield looking particularly weak, and the days of 'Joga Bonita' football are long gone. The Selecao were the most dazzlingly brilliant team in the world at the start of the century, but it's a real grind watching them these days.

The introduction of Endrick was never going to mask their problems, as 1970 World Cup winner Gerson has highlighted. "People keep comparing him to Pele. He's a boy. Let him play, grow. It's too much responsibility on him," the Brazil icon said after the Uruguay game. "He's just starting and won't be able to handle it. And it's not his fault. If he was playing with a functioning midfield, he would do much better."

The experience may go some way to preparing Endrick for the pressure the comes with playing for the biggest club in the world. But Real Madrid should consider the Copa as a warning; if they rush his development, they risk letting his incredible potential go to waste.

GOAL understands that Real Madrid expected Endrick to enjoy a more prominent role at the Copa America, particularly given their well-documented struggles for cutting edge upfront. It was a chance for him to him build up a greater rapport with Vinicus and Rodrygo, too, but Los Blancos didn't account for Dorival's cautious nature.

Competition for places will be even more intense at the Bernabeu. He'll be up against his two Brazil colleagues, both of whom actually began life at Real in the Castilla reserve side after their respective moves from South America, and fellow new signing Kylian Mbappe, who has been handed the club's iconic No.9 jersey - following in the footsteps of Cristiano Ronaldo.

Realistically, Endrick is not going to be a regular starter, but he will get plenty of chances because he can play anywhere across the frontline. GOAL can confirm that Madrid will look to the Brazilian in a tertiary role, which was also their plan for Arda Guler after the Turkish star's 2023 move from Fenerbahce.

Guler would have played far more often in his debut season had he not endured such terrible luck with injuries. He finished very strongly, though, with five goals in his final five La Liga appearances of the campaign, before heading off to the Euros and inspiring Turkey's unlikely run to the quarter-finals.

Endrick will have to follow Guler's lead by working hard and making the most of any time he gets on the pitch, which shouldn't be a problem for him. “No one is supposed to know me well. I am the one who is arriving, I have to introduce myself," he said in June. "With this squad, I can’t think about choosing anything. There’s only world-class players. I leave that (decision) to [Carlo] Ancelotti, he will find a solution."

Endrick's disappointing Copa won't have any impact on the start of his Madrid career. The Spanish giants will still be encouraged by the way he ended his time at Palmeiras, where he spent another 18 months after agreeing his blockbuster switch to the Bernabeu.

Endrick played a vital role in Palmeiras' run to their record-extending 12th Brazilian Serie A title in 2023, scoring 11 goals in 31 appearances, including a superb brace in a scintillating 4-3 comeback victory over title-rivals Botafogo, after which he revealed the kind of arrogant streak that only the most special footballers possess. "I’m a player who shows up at times when it’s difficult. I like games like this," he declared.

He picked up from where he left off this season, shining in the group stage of the Copa Libertadores with three goal contributions in five games to help Palmeiras reach the last 16, and will be in line for another winner's medal if they go on and win the trophy.

Palmeiras gave Endrick a hero's send-off in his final game against San Lorenzo that moved him to tears, with a huge tifo unveiled in the stands of him holding up the club's flag. The impact he made in such a short space of time with the senior squad was remarkable, and that shouldn't be forgotten just because of a difficult summer with Brazil, which most people really should have seen coming anyway.

It has been reported that Endrick will be officially be presented by Madrid on July 26, five days after his 18th birthday. The Brazil international is then set for a swift return to the U.S., where Los Blancos will face AC Milan, Barcelona and Chelsea in a series of glitzy pre-season friendlies.

Ancelotti will no doubt want to have a good look at Endrick, who will be raring to make a good first impression and put himself in contention for minutes in the UEFA Super Cup final against Atalanta on August 14, as well as Madrid's La Liga opener against Mallorca four days later. He doesn't have to time to dwell on the Copa America, which is a good thing.

Endrick has 10 caps under his belt for Brazil already, and there will be many more to come. The national team sorely needs a player of his quality leading the line if they are to bounce back from a poor start to their latest World Cup qualification campaign, and go on and compete for football's biggest prize in 2026.

But now his sole focus has to be on Madrid, where only the mentally strong succeed. Endrick's resolve will be tested, and comparisons with past legends won't go away. Indeed, he was forced to face up to them again after his winning goal against Mexico last month, which saw him become the first player since Pele in 1957 to score in three successive games for Brazil before the age of 18, and gave a refreshing response.

"You [journalists] create crazy things," Endrick said. "When I was younger, when I was 16 years old, I watched a lot of social media, and they kept comparing me to Vitor Roque, they kept comparing me to Pele. You guys are crazy. Pele was Pele. You shouldn't be comparing yourself to anyone, for me that's ugly, and everyone has their own story, their own reality, where they came from and what they have to go through to be able to play. Just let history be made."

Clearly, Endrick has a mature head on his shoulders, which bodes well for Madrid. Brazil's great hope has all the attributes needed to become one of the greats of his generation, and he'll be stronger for what he's gone through this summer.