Brazil youngster Endrick has revealed he felt “a sense of urgency” to prove his worth after coming on in the 79th minute of Brazil’s friendly with Croatia and contributing to two goals in a 3-1 win on Tuesday.
With the score 1-1, Endrick,19, earned a penalty that Igor Thiago converted. He then set up Gabriel Martinelli for Brazil’s third goal.
“I won’t lie — I had this sense of urgency that I had to perform well,” Endrick said.
“And after the message I got from my wife, all the pressure and fear I’d been feeling just melted away. I’m so grateful to my wife and to God for having them in my life, and I think that was absolutely crucial.”
Endrick was emotional after the game. He made his Brazil debut in Nov. 2023 but was left out of all of Carlo Ancelotti’s squads after enduring limited playing time at Real Madrid in the first half of the 2025-26 season.
Since joining Lyon on loan in December, his six goals and five assists in 14 games for Les Gones, has seen him earn a return to the national team.
Endrick did not feature in last week’s 2-1 defeat to France so there was, he felt, pressure to do well if he got his chance against Croatia.
“I had this sense of urgency,” he said. “After seeing my wife telling me that just being here was already a victory, regardless of whether I came on, scored a goal or provided an assist, all the pressure went away.”
Ancelotti will announce his World Cup squad on May 18 and Endrick is hopeful. “Whatever we can do for Brazil, we will do,” he said. “I have no doubt about that. And we’ll keep working, because nothing speaks louder than hard work.”
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Asked about Endrick’s performance, Ancelotti said after Tuesday’s win: “The newcomers who are here have made the most of their opportunities. The whole group is pleased with the work done by the new players, including Endrick and Botafogo’s Danilo.”
Brazil captain Casemiro, meanwhile, spoke of the importance of shielding the young players of the national team from the intense pressure ahead of the World Cup. A Seleção have won the World Cup a record five times but the last of those triumphs was in 2002.
Their best finish since was fourth place in 2014, when they hosted the event. “We know that expectations for the national team are always very high,” Casemiro said after Tuesday’s game.
“We need to shield them from this pressure. These days, everyone has an opinion. We need to shield this squad, especially because there are so many young players.
“There’s a huge gap between the 1992 and 2000 generations. We have to enjoy the moments. The work is being done well.”
Since Carlo Ancelotti took the helm in May last year after leaving Real Madrid, Brazil have had mixed results.
“We have to be realistic because it’s been a difficult cycle, but we know that it’s about being ready when the time comes, pulling together and going into the World Cup strong,” the Manchester United star said.
“People know it’s been a bit of a tough spell for everyone. A lack of cohesion, constant changes and shuffling around. We know things need to improve.
“Once we’ve got the full squad back, it’ll never be a problem — especially for the Brazilian national team, a breeding ground for top players. We’ll arrive strong.”
Brazil will host Panama at the Maracana stadium on May 31 before flying to the United States to play their final warm-up ahead of the World Cup against Egypt on June 6, in Cleveland.
