Real Madrid ended 2024 with a comfortable 4-2 victory over Sevilla at the Santiago Bernabéu, with hardly any player putting a foot wrong. All the regulars were on the pitch and shone, giving Madridistas a fitting early Christmas present. However, there was one unhappy youngster on the bench who did get Carlo Ancelotti’s attention after the game: Endrick.
He arrived at Real Madrid with high expectations, especially for a 17-year-old. But things have not gone his way—not due to poor performances, but because of a lack of game time.
The Brazilian has featured in 15 games for Los Blancos, but has only clocked 160 minutes. His return has been average, with two goals and an assist in those outings, but Ancelotti has refrained from giving him more opportunities.
After the Sevilla game, Ancelotti said, “They’ll have their chance in 2025,” referring to the players in his squad who aren’t getting much playing time. “I haven’t had time to explain it, but I think they’ve understood. I didn’t want to open a game that was over.”
Ancelotti’s lack of trust in Endrick?
There weren’t many nervous faces around the Bernabéu on Sunday. Kylian Mbappe’s wonder strike in the 10th minute, followed by Fede Valverde’s thunderbolt 10 minutes later, reassured Ancelotti and fans that it would most likely be an uncomplicated fixture.
Within minutes, Real Madrid was 3-0 up, and at that moment, Endrick would have loved a nod from Ancelotti to get ready and warm up. After all, what better than to score a goal in front of over 70,000 fans just days before Christmas?
Sadly for Endrick, that didn’t happen, and Ancelotti’s words post-game highlighted a lack of trust. Ancelotti didn’t want to “open a game that was over.” This could mean the Italian was wary of Endrick making mistakes that might have allowed Sevilla to get back into the game.
To be fair to Ancelotti, Sevilla was constantly knocking on the door. In the 85th minute, Dodi Lukebakio’s goal made it 4-2 in favor of Real Madrid, and a slip-up from there could have made things very uncomfortable.
Ancelotti chose not to risk it and went with his tried-and-true veterans to see out the game, which helped them go above Barcelona in the La Liga standings.
Why Endrick hasn’t featured
Keeping the expectations and Bobby Charlton memes aside, it’s easy to forget that Endrick is just 18 years old. Yes, there are players who have forced their way into starting roles at top clubs at 18. Even Vinícius Júnior made his way in during the 2018/19 season at the same age.
But things are different now. Real Madrid’s starting XI boasts unrivaled talent. When everyone is fit, the top four attacking options for Madrid are Mbappé, Vinícius, Rodrygo, and Jude Bellingham.
🎙️ @Brahim: “We have a lot more to give.”#RealMadridSevillaFC pic.twitter.com/fKYMMY7a66
— Real Madrid C.F. 🇬🇧🇺🇸 (@realmadriden) December 22, 2024
To replace them, Ancelotti already has Brahim Díaz and Arda Güler—two players who had to bide their time before earning the manager’s trust.
As a result, Endrick finds himself near the bottom of the pecking order. However, with constant hard work, it’s certain that a player of his talent and caliber will make it big. All he needs now is patience.
