'Endrick should have gotten a hug' - Real Madrid-bound Brazilian breaks down in tears amid 'tremendous pressure'

• Teenager cried on Palmeiras bench
• Has not scored in 2023
• Coach says he is under "tremendous pressure"

WHAT HAPPENED? The highly-rated 16-year-old has not scored so far in 10 matches in 2023 and was taken off 60 minutes into his team's 2-0 win against RB Bragantino in Serie A this week. The frustrated youngster was pictured covering his face on the bench and his coach has confirmed he was crying.

WHAT THEY SAID: "Yes, it's true, he covered his face because he cried. I'm not his father, but I should have given him a hug," Ferreira said. "You have to be calm. Nobody likes criticism. There is tremendous pressure on him to score five or six goals and he tries to deal with it himself. The goal will appear at the right time. You just have to be calm and keep smiling."

THE BIGGER PICTURE: Despite his age, there are huge expectations on Endrick. The attacker is a regular starter for Palmeiras and is regarded as one of his nation's most promising players. He has already agreed to make a €60 million (£52m/$64m) transfer to Real Madrid in the summer of 2024, when he will be 18 years old.

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WHAT NEXT FOR ENDRICK? The forward has plenty of time to rediscover his form, and it's normal for inexperienced players to go through rough patches.