Endrick scores winner for Brazil then vows to Ancelotti: 'This is where I want to be'

Endrick marked Brazil’s final warm-up before the World Cup with the winning goal in a 2-1 victory over Egypt in Cleveland, before publicly reaffirming his commitment to the Seleção and sending a direct message to Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti about his physical and mental condition.

Bruno Guimarães opened the scoring for Brazil after just seven minutes, only for Egypt to level through Mostafa Ziko in the 11th minute. Endrick, introduced as a second-half substitute, needed only six minutes to settle the contest. In the 51st minute he reacted quickest to a loose ball inside the penalty area, slotting home with the predatory instinct that has defined his reputation since his teenage years.

“This feeling is something that can’t be explained,” Endrick told Sportv after the match. “I thank God so much for scoring another goal. These are the extraordinary things in my life. I’m very happy because when I was injured, I couldn’t come to the national team, and that’s the worst thing for a Brazilian player. God willing, I never have to go through that feeling of being left out of the national team again because this is where I want to be, this is where I want to show my football. Always giving my life for my nation. I dedicate it to my wife and my little one who is in her belly.”

The goal carries added significance given the difficult 12 months Endrick has navigated. Unable to force his way into Madrid’s first-team picture following his high-profile move to the Bernabéu, he was sent on loan to Lyon to rebuild his form and confidence. The gamble has paid off emphatically: eight goals and seven assists in 21 appearances in France have restored his standing as one of the most exciting young forwards in the game.

“Ever since I was injured, I knew what I should do when I recovered,” he said. “Unfortunately, I didn’t have time at Real Madrid, but God guided me to the right path, which was to go to Lyon, to have fun, to have met other people, to have worked with that wonderful staff, and to have been able to play.”

With the World Cup now approaching, Endrick’s message to Ancelotti’s coaching staff is unmistakable: the 18-year-old is fit, in form, and determined to carry that momentum from Lyon back to the Spanish capital — and to the tournament itself.