Why Endrick Has Only Played 250 Minutes Since Joining Real Madrid | OneFootball

Endrick, the Brazilian teenager once heralded as the "next Pelé," has spent more time on the bench this season at Real Madrid than on the pitch.

It is no secret Real Madrid have struggled in the first five months of their Spanish and European title defenses. At one point in the early season, Los Blancos trailed Barcelona by nine points in the La Liga standings and were sitting just above the elimination zone in the Champions League. Injury woes, a lack of identity in the midfield and a long transition period for Kylian Mbappé all marred the first half of the 2024–25 season.

Sitting on the sidelines, watching it all unfold, was Endrick. The striker signed with Los Blancos back in 2022 as a 16-year-old and joined the team in the summer of 2024 once he celebrated his 18th birthday.

The teenager got his career in a white shirt off to a dream start. Endrick scored his first goal for Real Madrid in his La Liga debut just 10 minutes after he came on the pitch. He then bagged his first ever Champions League goal in his UCL debut, once again as a substitute.

Endrick continued featuring off the bench until Carlo Ancelotti gave him the nod against Lille in the Champions League. The 18-year-old had everything to prove in his first start, but he underwhelmed in Real Madrid's 1–0 defeat.

Since the poor performance, Endrick has seen his minutes and opportunities substantially decrease. He did not make a single appearance in Real Madrid's next five matches and only logged a total of 53 minutes in Los Blancos' 10 remaining games in 2024.

Endrick's failure to impress against Lille and in his short appearances afterward did not help his case for more playing time. Ancelotti also typically backs more experienced, trustworthy players, especially when Real Madrid are struggling. Even 19-year-old Arda Güler, who is one of the most talented young players in the sport, has only made eight starts across all competitions this year despite Real Madrid's early problems.

In fact, both teenagers logged a combined one minute for Real Madrid from Oct. 19 to Nov. 5, a spell in which the Spanish giants lost two of their four matches. At the time, Ancelotti said his focus was on turning his team's poor form around and not "[giving] minutes to one player or another."

In Endrick's case, breaking into an attack that features Vinícius Júnior, Mbappé, Rodrygo, Jude Bellingham and even Brahim Díaz is never going to be easy, especially at such a young age. He finally has his opportunity to prove his worth to Ancelotti, though, in the Copa del Rey.

The teenager got the nod against fourth tier side Deportivo Minera in Spain's oldest soccer competition and played a full 90 minutes. Although he did not find the back of the net in Real Madrid's 0–5 victory, he created the second-most chances on the team (4) and managed five shots on target.

The match was a step forward for Endrick's career in a white shirt, but there is still a long way to go before he gets consistent opportunities to develop against stronger competition. His place in Real Madrid's hierarchy of superstars is simply still closer to the bottom than the starting XI.