Carlo Ancelotti admits that Endrick’s development at Real Madrid stalled due to the presence of Vinicius Junior and Rodrygo, with the Italian tactician having to decide whether the teenage forward is deserving of a place in his Brazil squad for the 2026 World Cup. Spots in that selection remain up for grabs less than a year out from the tournament itself.

Brazil squad: Household names left out

Endrick did not feature in Brazil’s latest squad, although a number of household names were rested for the final rounds of World Cup qualifying duty as the Selecao are already safely through to next summer’s finals.

AdvertisementGettyEndrick has 14 senior caps for Brazil

He was last picked in March, with regular game time at club level proving hard to come by. Endrick started just three La Liga games for Real last season, when Ancelotti was his manager at Santiago Bernabeu.

Why Endrick's Brazil spot is under threat

The 19-year-old faces fierce competition for places in the Spanish capital, which is putting his place in the Brazil squad under threat. The South American nation also have other exciting youngsters emerging – such as Estevao Willian, who is now in the Premier League with Chelsea.

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GettySelecao stars: Exciting talents emerge for Brazil

Ancelotti told when asked about the potential at his disposal: “I really like Estevao, he's young, he has personality, character. He started well in the Premier League, obviously Estevao, not only for this World Cup, but for the future of the national team, will be a very, very important player.

“Well, Endrick is like Estevao. He's a great talent. I think Estevao was lucky. The problem with young people who go to Europe is that they have a leading role here, but not much of a leading role there. I coached Endrick for a year and really liked him as a person and as a professional.

“And, obviously, he didn't play as well as he could, because Real Madrid had Rodrigo, Vini; competition in a big team is important, and that can affect a player's progression a little.”