The Brazilian’s double against Celta drives statistics crazy, making it a goal every 72 minutes, the third best in Europe.
Perhaps he doesn’t know how he does it, but he does it effortlessly nonetheless: everything he touches turns to gold.
Meet Real Madrid’s very own Midas—or at least, an aspiring one. His name is Endrick, but in the locker room, he’s affectionately known as Bobby. This nickname stems from a recent interview where he claimed his childhood idols were Cristiano Ronaldo and Bobby Charlton, despite Charlton having retired 31 years before Endrick was born. Something doesn’t quite add up. And the jokes, ever since, have been relentless—courtesy of his teammates. The goals, though, are all his. They seem to fall from his pockets. It’s a gift.
With his brace against Celta, he now boasts an average of a goal every 72 minutes. But that’s not all. It’s the third-best scoring rate in Europe.
Endrick, the vanishing star
Endrick seems to vanish from view. Since the Montilivi match, manager Carlo Ancelotti has only given him 12 minutes on the pitch, not counting the Deportivo Minera game. In between, there have been two finals and shows like the Bergamo friendly. Everyone has watched him from the sidelines, watching time pass by, life move on, and listening to disheartening arguments.
“There’s a lot of talk about Endrick, saying he’s played little, that I’m not giving him minutes... blah blah blah, but you have to consider he’s very young, needs to adapt, improve, learn, and playing him when the team isn’t performing well can be counterproductive. Instead of helping him, it could hurt him. I have to think about all these things,” Carlo Ancelotti stated in December.
Touched by a magic wand
Invisible yet impactful
Bronze in Europe
Of tears...
Endrick, who also shed blood against Valladolid (his official debut) and Stuttgart (his Champions League debut), is a boy with an aura. The one who cried with emotion during his presentation. “As a kid, I dreamed of playing for Real Madrid... and I’m going to do it,” he said with a shaky voice, before 45,000 people on his sixth day of legal adulthood. That’s how his story began. And that’s how it’s unfolding now.
Months of intense psychological work. Not understanding why he barely played, but not giving up. “Rüdiger tells me to keep working hard, even if I’m not playing,” he admitted after the match. “Ancelotti knows he doesn’t have to look for the best for Endrick, but for the team,” he added.
...to sweat
His relationship with the coach is cool. But professional. “I don’t talk much with the manager, but on the first day, he already told me that the most important thing here is to work... and he knows I’m doing it every day. I’m grateful because he’s been a great person for me,” he concluded. And he left the Bernabéu with a serious face, as is his nature. But inside, he embodies the belief that, as Hannibal from the A-Team would say, “I love it when a plan comes together.”
The third forward with the best scoring average in Europe has opened the door. The protagonist of a case worthy of study. The hero of the Copa. The one who scores every 72 minutes, despite everything. Maybe he doesn’t know how he does it, but he turns everything he touches into gold. Endrick is scoring goals by the hour. Introducing Real Madrid’s very own Midas. Bobby.