Erupting to fame at 18 years of age is not easy, especially in elite football. To meet the expectations of managers at that young age with consistency is easier said than done, and Endrick appears to be suffering from his own success.
Having burst to light with goals against Spain, England and Mexico for Brazil, the teenager made himself a household name and was largely proclaimed to have arrived on the big stage.
Since then, he has already scored for Real Madrid in La Liga and the UEFA Champions League but has not enjoyed much luck with the Selecao.
Backlash in Brazil
As revealed by AS in a recent update, Endrick’s exclusion from Dorival Junior’s plans has not gone down well in Brazil where fans are calling out the national team management for not including him in the starting XI.
In Brazil’s game against Chile in the ongoing international break, the Real Madrid star was benched for Botafogo’s Igor Jesus who the manager Dorival Junior has shown more faith in regularly in recent times.
The 23-year-old who started in Endrick’s place even scored the equaliser on the night, justifying the manager’s decision, and left the Real Madrid star with only 14 minutes to play in which he completed just one pass.
A popular program in Brazil named ‘Fim de Papo’ lashed out at the administration for not treating the youngster right and sidelining him without giving him the chances he deserved.
“Endrick was ‘screwed’ in the Copa America. He made his debut, scored against England, against Spain, against Mexico.
“It was obvious that he had earned the starting spot in the Copa America. That he didn’t play and was only a substitute against was absurd,” they added.
They then elaborated on how Endrick was one of the few players who tied the fans and the national team together and how his exclusion would not go down well.
“In addition to deserving more opportunities, he is the player with whom the Brazilian national team fans identify. That’s why the fact that he doesn’t play here and plays there, in Paraguay, is another ‘scam.’”
With Brazil set to take on Peru next it remains to be seen if Endrick gets an opportunity to start or if Dorival Junior continues with Igor Jesus.