Endrick admits he was surprised by Jude Bellingham's personality after joining Real Madrid

The Brazilian forward has admitted that his preconceptions about the former Borussia Dortmund man were quickly dispelled once they began working together daily in the Spanish capital. The 19-year-old credits Bellingham with helping him settle during a period where he felt isolated by a lack of playing time and language barriers.

In an interview with The Guardian, Endrick spoke warmly about the England star, saying: "Bellingham was really important to me. He made me feel welcome at the club. I didn’t speak English very well, but he spoke to me, tried to speak a bit of Spanish, was by my side and gave me advice. His friendship was important to me in my beginning at Real Madrid. That really had an impact on me. I had a certain impression of him before I arrived, but he was completely different. He’s an incredible player and an incredible person too, especially when it comes to friendship. That’s what impressed me the most about him."

While Bellingham provided the personal support, Croatian legend Luka Modric offered a technical masterclass that left the teenager in awe. Endrick revealed that the veteran midfielder’s work ethic at Real served as a blueprint for professional success, before he left the club last summer. The Brazilian starlet took every opportunity to soak up advice from the 2018 Ballon d'Or winner during their time together on the training ground.

Endrick explained: "Modric was the player who most impressed me at Real Madrid: 100%. He’s a guy who taught me a lot in my first year. Not just in training, but also in matches. It was a football masterclass. He was 40 years old and very strong. He trained every day. When he wasn’t playing, he’d go to the club and train, doing his own extra training. The way he plays is incredible. He always gave me tips, telling me what I should do on the pitch. That helped me a lot. He was one of the most incredible guys I’ve ever met in football."

The journey has not been entirely smooth for the wonderkid, who faced a significant setback following a thigh injury that sidelined him for three months in the first half of the season. The lack of minutes at Madrid eventually led to a loan move to Lyon, but the psychological toll of the injury was heavy. Endrick confessed to feeling immense fear regarding his physical future and his standing within the Brazil national team setup under Carlo Ancelotti.

"I had a complicated injury and lost a lot of time. It kept me away from many matches, training, and work. I couldn’t compete. When you get injured, you lose everything. You lose the chance to fight for a place. These are things beyond my control," he revealed. "I was really afraid. I cried several times. That’s something you do in private. I didn’t know how to deal with my injury or what to expect. You don’t know if you’ll have a relapse, if you’ll keep your strength, if you’ll come back weaker. That affects you a lot. You get scared of the future. But I knew I had to keep going. If I’d had another injury, I’d have gone through the whole process again. I knew that when I came back, I’d have to give it my best."

Now thriving in Ligue 1 with four goals and six assists in 13 matches for Lyon, Endrick is focused on securing his spot in the Brazil squad for the 2026 World Cup. After a standout cameo in a March friendly win against Croatia, where he won a penalty and provided an assist, the forward feels he has finally blocked out the noise of social media to focus on the task at hand. With the tournament in the United States, Mexico, and Canada looming, the pressure is on the young Selecao stars to end a 24-year trophy drought.

"My first desire is to play the World Cup. I need to be there. That’s my first thought. Before thinking about the title, I need to do my job well at Lyon. I’m focused here. I need to play well in these remaining games to secure my place. My dream is to play the World Cup and help my country. I’ll do my best to help Brazil," Endrick concluded.