'I’ll fight' to play at the World Cup, says Endrick to AFP | OneFootball

*By AFP”

I will fight to make it” to the 2026 World Cup with the Brazilian national team, Endrick told AFP, as he awaits his debut for Lyon, a club he considers “ideal” to rediscover his best form.

Loaned by Real Madrid to the French team at the end of December, the 19-year-old striker could make his debut for his new team on Sunday, against Lille, in the French Cup.

“I found the ideal club and I can’t wait to play,” Endrick said in an email Q&A with AFP.

Q: Did you talk with Ancelotti about your decision to join Lyon? What did he say?

A: He had already advised me to look for more playing time, more minutes on the field, especially after I recovered.

Q: Do you see yourself wearing the Brazilian national team jersey at the 2026 World Cup?

A: I will fight to make it. I already wore it at the Copa América and I can’t help but want to be at the World Cup.

  View this post on Instagram   A post shared by Olympique Lyonnais (@ol)

“There wouldn’t be a better place”

Last called up for the Brazilian national team in March of last year, when the coach was Dorival Júnior, Endrick played only three matches for Real Madrid in the 2025-2026 season, totaling just 99 minutes on the field.

In the previous season, under Carlo Ancelotti, the striker had played in 37 matches in all competitions, scoring seven goals and providing one assist.

Q: How did you make the decision to embark on this new chapter with Lyon? At what moment did you say: ‘It’s time for a change of scenery’?

A: From the start of the season, I knew it would be good to look for a place where I could play more, but I needed to recover from the injury that kept me out of the Club World Cup in the United States [from June to July 2025]. Once I recovered, it was just a matter of waiting for the transfer window.

Q: Were there other options besides Lyon? Why choose Lyon?

A: Yes. Thank God there were several clubs from all the major European leagues interested. But Lyon had everything. Style of play, squad, competitions to play in, coaching staff, management, fans, and the history of Brazilians at the club. When they presented everything, I just thanked the other offers that came in, because I knew there wouldn’t be a better place.

Q: How did you deal with the situation in your last months at Real Madrid? It must not have been easy, as a footballer, to accept playing so little.

A: With seriousness. I worked harder than ever. If I had one minute, it had to be the best minute of my life. To show that I wanted more. Out of respect for my teammates. At a club like Real, you help the team not only in matches. In every training session, you also help those who are going to play. To raise the level of training. We’re a group, almost thirty, and only eleven start the games. A champion team is built every day, not just in matches.

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This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.