The whole world now knows all about Endrick, the Brazilian wonderkid heading for Real Madrid in a deal potentially rising to over £60million.
But the hype around the 16-year-old dubbed by many as the ‘next Ronaldo’ is something Palmeiras always knew was coming.
The journey started when Endrick’s father posted videos of his goals on YouTube, sparking interest from a host of top clubs. It was Palmeiras who signed him as an 11-year-old, winning a race for his signature and giving his father, Douglas Sousa, a job as a cleaner.
Palmeiras instantly knew they had hit the jackpot. In five years, he racked up 165 goals in 169 games at youth level and was quickly earmarked as a future superstar.
Despite his incredible talent on the pitch, it was Endrick’s attitude and application which caught the eye early on. Sources at Palmeiras describe a kid who has always trained exactly like he plays and possesses a steely determination to win.
When he progressed to the Palmeiras U20s team, he approached the club to ask if he could drop back down to his own age group, the U17s, for the Brazilian Cup. Whilst his talents had moved him on to bigger and better things, he was desperate to win titles and leave a legacy regardless of the level of team.
It was in last year’s Copinha, an annual youth tournament in Sao Paulo, that Endrick had his coming out party. He excelled on a national stage and was quickly thrust into the limelight.
A flurry of goals for Brazil U17s ensured his reputation grew and the stakes were raised at Palmeiras. Suddenly, the clamour for his signature accelerated, as did the clamour to see him introduced to first-team football as his 16th birthday approached.
Abel Ferreira and his coaching staff at Palmeiras were determined to manage the situation carefully and ensure he made his professional debut in a favourable situation. Ferreira also took care to have numerous one-to-one conversations with Endrick about his development having introduced him to first-team training before he was old enough to make his debut.
The conversations were a two-way street, sources say, with Ferreira keen to not only ensure Endrick was comfortable but to himself gain an understanding of the player’s objectives. He calmed Endrick down amid pressure to score his first goal by reiterating that helping the team was the most important job.
There has also been a concerted effort from those at Palmeiras to ensure Endrick realises he is one of the team despite the hype around him and his young age. He has always respected that fact and slotted himself into the dressing room well around older players despite his unique circumstances.
Publicly, Ferreira has remained keen to protect Endrick and point out his age amid plenty of pressure. When his Copinha breakthrough fuelled speculation he could go to the Club World Cup, the Palmeiras boss joked: "If the club thinks about buying a ticket to Disneyland for him and his family... That's what he needs. He is 15 years old, still a boy. I like to give time to time to these players.”
That approach was echoed by Endrick himself, who has been happy to accept that his progression cannot be rushed. He has had faith in the process set out be Ferreira and his staff.
"I'm going to believe in Abel, in everything he tells me to do,” he said. “He wants the best for me, I'm going to keep training and dedicating myself hard to win his heart, the teammates, the fans and all the staff.”
When Endrick was introduced to the first-team, there was no special treatment and no allowances made for his age. The intensity and demands placed on him were the same as other players, and when he made mistakes, it was not glossed over. At times, he had to look to improve and adapt to the standards set by senior players.
In one of his first training sessions with the Palmeiras first-team, he lost the ball a number of times and was pulled up on it by teammates. Their words were accompanied by advice and helped him to improve aspects of his game.
Physically, Endrick has impressed those at Palmeiras and adapted well to senior football. He has had no problems with their training loads and his athleticism has enabled him to successfully take on senior defenders.
As expected, his finishing and shooting has stood out. It was in shooting drills he initially caught the eye of first-team stars, who quickly recognised his quality and accepted him into the team with open arms.
He has scored three goals in seven top flight appearances so far this season and the future looks bright as he is eased into the Palmeiras first-team by Abel Ferreira. Whilst his deal to join Real Madrid is agreed, he will not head to Spain until 2024, when he turns 18.
But there is a sense that Endrick is in the right place to continue developing at the right pace. There is now even more attention on Brazil’s next big thing, but with the transfer saga which has dominated his last year now finalised, he can fully focus on taking the gradual steps to fulfilling his star potential.
