'He's ready' - Endrick just as good as Matheus Cunha and Igor Thiago as Ronaldo backs Brazil teen to seize his chance at World Cup

Carlo Ancelotti’s decision to leave the Real Madrid starlet on the bench sparked heavy criticism from passionate supporters who felt the forward could have unlocked the Moroccan defence. Endrick recently scored a winning goal against Egypt in a warm-up friendly, leading many to believe he deserved a prominent role. However, Ronaldo completely defended the manager's hierarchy, pointing out that an unexpected injury to midfielder Bruno Guimaraes disrupted Brazil's planned attacking substitutions late on.

Speaking on Resenha da Copa, the legendary 2002 World Cup winner insisted the youngster is on par with his international team-mates but must respect the squad depth.

Ronaldo stated: "I am sure he will get his opportunity. He will come on at some point, but right now he is the third option in attack. There is Igor Thiago, there is Matheus Cunha, and then it's him.

"I think he would have come on in the game [against Morocco] if it weren't for the substitution where I think Bruno Guimaraes asked to come off... That’s an important detail. Because Ancelotti was definitely going for the win. But listen, he is ready, forget it, he's ready.

"He is competing out there with other great players. He's on par with Matheus Cunha from Manchester United, and Igor Thiago was a top scorer in England, so we are well-served right now."

The pressure is mounting on the South American giants to secure maximum points and build crucial momentum following their unexpected opening stalemate. Ronaldo emphasised that the upcoming group fixture against Haiti must be used as a platform to elevate squad confidence and ruthlessly convert offensive opportunities.

He added: "I think this next game will be important for everyone to gain confidence. Obviously, the victory is very important, but goal difference will be crucial in this match for first place - that will decide the top spot in the group. So we have to make the most of every single chance so we don't end up struggling."

The Selecao must rapidly find their clinical edge before travelling to Philadelphia for a pivotal second group-stage assignment against Haiti. Ancelotti's star-studded squad will then round off their initial pool commitments when locking horns with a robust Scotland side in Miami. Securing a commanding victory over Haiti with a healthy goal margin will be absolutely crucial to Brazil's chances of topping the group standings and securing a favourable knockout draw.