Exclusive Interview
Endrick: “I Learned Everything from Ancelotti, but His Best Quality Is the Day-to-Day”
Endrick is expected to be one of the 26 players selected by Carlo Ancelotti to represent Brazil at the 2026 World Cup. After a period of difficulties at Real Madrid and a four-month injury layoff, the young Brazilian has revived his international career and is back in the spotlight for the Brazilian national team ahead of the tournament.
In an exclusive interview with Transfermarkt, Endrick recalled the thigh injury that sidelined him during the second half of 2025 and pushed him to the bottom of the pecking order at Real Madrid, where he received no opportunities under the then-new coach Xabi Alonso, who was hired in May and dismissed in January of this year.
“It’s very tough when you get injured. I had a complicated injury and lost a lot of time. I missed a lot of match time, training, and work. I couldn’t compete. But, thank God, I managed to come back well. Here at Lyon, I started playing again and competing again. That was very good for me and helped me return to the national team. I managed to come back at the last moment, and I need to keep working. When you get injured, you lose everything. You lose the chance to fight for a spot. There was nothing I could do. These are things beyond my control. I just have to be thankful that I came back well and recovered,” the Brazilian said.
Valued at €35 million on Transfermarkt, Endrick has regained his reputation at Lyon. Just as he did at Palmeiras, where he was the best player in the team during their 2023 Brasileirão title win, he has made a difference in major French football matches.
One such match was against PSG. In the clash against France’s most powerful club, which is competing in the Champions League final aiming for a second consecutive title, the Brazilian scored a goal and provided an assist in a 2-1 victory, putting Lyon back in contention for a spot in Europe’s premier club competition.
With the Brazilian national team, he did the same. A day before the match against Croatia, Carlo Ancelotti said Endrick was a player for the future, effectively ruling him out for the 2026 World Cup. However, against the Croats, in just 15 minutes, he won a penalty that Igor Thiago converted and provided an assist for Gabriel Martinelli’s goal, firmly re-entering the group that could be part of this summer’s tournament. When asked how he thrives in decisive matches, he shared the recipe for success.
“I think in these more important matches, you have to give a little extra. If it doesn’t work out with quality or skill, you have to find a way. You have to rely on strength, on determination. If I’m not at my best, at least I have to give everything for my team. I have to play and do everything I can for my team. That helps me in these important matches. I’ll leave my skin on the pitch for my team. I always try to do that, but I know sometimes things don’t go as expected. That’s why I try to do the impossible in these games. If it doesn’t work with skill, then do it with strength, with grit. That’s what I do in these important matches,” he said.
“A player needs to have confidence, but also balance. You can’t have too much confidence and lose your way, but you also can’t step onto the pitch without confidence. If you have too much confidence, your ego gets big, and you think it’s going to be easy. That can’t happen. I can’t accept that. I can’t let that take over my mind. I need to stay humble, but I also need to have confidence. That’s the only way you’ll succeed.”
