Endrick speaks to AS: Brazilian “could write a book about” Xabi Alonso

Endrick speaks to AS, talks about his life at Lyon, his goal and his feelings towards Xabi Alonso.

Endrick:

They’ve been great. I arrived here champing at the bit. It’s been a tough stretch of work, learning everything I need to be able to play, and also handling things off the field with the transfer. I came to give everything for Lyon and finish the season better than the last one. I’m very focused on training, recovery, and my individual work, so I barely have time to leave the house.

It’s beautiful. I already had the chance to eat at Bocuse, which is a legendary restaurant here. And I took a walk through the city center and visited the New Balance store. I want to see a lot more, but I also want to keep pushing forward in my preparation.

It’s a very respected club in France, with plenty of national titles, and it represents a huge part of the country on its own. The structure is excellent - we lack for nothing - and the squad is full of players from all over the world. Everyone has given me a really warm welcome; I’m honestly impressed.

From the first ball I touched, I tried to show that we were going to win. It wasn’t a dream. It was a plan. An aim. Go out there and win. Every one of us gave everything, and in attack, I always have to look for the goal.

I came back really happy. Advancing to the next round was very important. Scoring in my first match was special; it’s something I’ve also been able to enjoy doing in other competitions. It shows I can adapt quickly to new tactics and different types of opponents. The group has helped me a lot, and I already feel like I’m part of everything here.

In our careers, we have to understand that time is very valuable. When we’re starting out, we need to grow, and to grow, we need to play. Recovering from my injury and all the work for my return kept me out for months, and I knew it would be difficult to get a steady run of matches in Spain. The hard part was the recovery. I came to France to do what I love. Train and play. Chasing our dreams is always a good thing.

It offers everything I need. It plays in a major league, I’m in a country that’s a reference point for high-level soccer, it has a squad with players from all over the world, an excellent coaching staff that likes to attack with a very technical style of play, passionate fans, and it’s also a club with a strong history of success with Brazilian players. You really can’t ask for more.

Paulo called me and showed me how he likes to prepare his teams, what Lyon was doing, and what the club could do with my arrival. It was clear to me that he would help me a lot, that I’d have a group that would support me, and that I could help them too. He showed me that now we all have to be together.

Before the announcement, I talked to some players, especially the Brazilians who played at Lyon in recent years. After the announcement, several others reached out to talk to me about the club and French soccer. I got a lot of support and encouragement from many people, not just the French, and that was extra motivation.

I have one goal each week: to start the next week better than the last one. That will push me to give everything for the club so we can win every match. My objective is to help the team win. If I manage that, I’ll get the best reward: goals and trophies.

I just got here! [laughs] I haven’t even played my first home game yet. This is not the time to think about going back. Right now, all I’m thinking about is a full stadium [against Brest] on Sunday and seeing our fans. At this moment, I don’t need to worry about anything except Lyon.

My relationship with Real Madrid hasn’t changed at all. Right up until the day I traveled to Lyon, the club gave me all the support I needed and helped with this move, responding to my request for a loan.

They were tough - I can’t deny it. An injury that keeps a player off the field is always sad. You’re not doing what you love, and sometimes you don’t know when you’ll be able to do it again, or if you’ll do it as well. Fortunately, it wasn’t a serious injury, and the club paid close attention to the recovery process.

Finding out I’d miss the Club World Cup in the United States. That I wouldn’t be able to play for several months. The moment you discover you won’t be able to compete. Losses are painful, but they’re part of football. We all win and lose. Only a few win titles. No one wins all the time. But injuries take you out of the game.

I wish I could have helped more, but I think it was a season where I learned and grew a lot. I scored on my debut in several competitions and shared the field with some of the best athletes in the world - a world-class team. I can only thank God.

I have to believe. I want to be better in the next game - and then the next, and the one after that. I’ve already been with the national team, and if I improve every week, I’ll be better than I was when I was first called up: more experienced and more mature, with more options in my game. I have to prove that I can help any team.

I could write a book about everything I learned from him. He played at a high level for major clubs and has won everything as a coach in several countries. He taught us so much about the game, but also about the life of a footballer.

I made my debut here when the final was played in Saudi Arabia. I wasn’t able to follow the match. I’m very focused on Lyon now, but I’ll always be rooting for everyone who helped me in Madrid, wherever they are. Xabi was a brilliant player, a world champion, a champion as a coach in Germany, and he’ll soon be at a new club or national team.

I thank God for all the support I receive and ask Him to bless me so I can bring joy to everyone who supports me - to everyone who enjoys watching me play. I fight for my family and teammates, but also for those who support me.