After reaping the rewards of the signings of Vinicius Jr. and Rodrygo Goes, Real Madrid’s next big Brazilian investment was Endrick. Having completed his agreement with Real Madrid back in 2022, the young phenom arrived in Madrid earlier this year and was presented in front of over 45,000 fans at Santiago Bernabeu. His start to the new season in terms of minutes, however, has been far from the expectation as he has played just 28 minutes in Real Madrid’s four league games so far.

As revealed in a recent update by AS, the new signing feels he is not getting the minutes he deserves at Real Madrid. He knows he is an important member of the team but is ‘bitter’ about his current playing time. It has been a bittersweet year for the teenage phenom, both at the club and international levels.

For Real Madrid, the protege not only made his debut this year but also scored his first goal in the team’s 3-0 win over Real Valladolid. However, he has been far from a starter and has only come on for fringe minutes in every game. For his country, meanwhile, Endrick became a mainstay in the senior Brazil squad this year, scored sensational goals at Wembley, Santiago Bernabeu and even against Mexico and registered himself as the fourth youngest goalscorer in Brazilian history. His recent form with the Selecao, however, has been underwhelming and he was even pulled out after just 45 minutes after a poor display against Paraguay.

Endrick’s poor form for Brazil can be attributed to the lack of regular minutes, while his reduced playing time is directly linked with the serious competition at Real Madrid. All eyes are thus on Carlo Ancelotti to see how he manages Endrick’s situation.

Endrick’s Frustration with Lack of Minutes

Endrick has not had the start to 2024/25 he would have hoped for. After arriving with plenty of anticipation, the Brazil wonderkid has not started in La Liga and instead, he's scrapped for minutes. That said, despite not being an assured starter at Real Madrid, he has found the time to net a goal, breaking the ice between him and the Real Madrid supporters. Hopefully, this is a sign of great things to come.

Due to his young age, playing regular minutes is of utmost importance to Endrick. Naturally, he would like to play every available minute to facilitate his development. This, understandably, cannot be promised by Carlo Ancelotti. That said, the sheer lack of minutes is rightly causing distress to Endrick.

According to a report from Spanish outlet AS, Endrick Felipe is becoming “bitter” at Real Madrid, due to the lack of minutes he's playing. The Brazilian understands his squad role but he is itching to play more.

Ancelotti’s Perspective on Endrick’s Frustration

For Real Madrid, this cannot be a bad thing. They have a hungry player in their ranks who would like to play more minutes. From Carlo Ancelotti’s perspective, this will come as a sign of a great player and one to watch for the future. Carlo Ancelotti has coached some of the best players in the history of the game. Therefore, he is no stranger to egos in the dressing room.

In the opening games of the season, Carlo Ancelotti has indicated on a few occasions that he is not overall satisfied with the team. One word he mentions a lot is “balance” and the lack of it in the squad. Endrick is a player who is keen to help out. He has a great work-rate for a young player, which surely attracted Real Madrid to sign him. His high energy levels could come in handy, particularly as Real Madrid want to start picking up points on the board.

For Real Madrid, this season won't be as easy as last campaign. They would love to reclaim the Liga title, but they will face harsher competition from Barcelona who have started the season better. So, with the fixtures bound to come in thick and fast (Real Madrid will play two more guaranteed Champions League fixtures, after all), Endrick may get more and more chances to prove himself in the squad.

Endrick’s Impact on the Field

When Endrick joined Real Madrid after turning 18, many questioned whether he could fit in with the main squad or if it would be better to send him out on loan or to the “B” team to gain experience. Madrid decided to keep him close, and only a few matches into the season, the only doubt surrounding the Brazil forward is about when he will get a chance to earn a first start with Carlo Ancelotti’s first team.

Endrick has made the most of his minutes off the bench and quickly proved his worth, gaining the trust of his teammates and exciting fans who now want to see more of the young sensation. He remains in a secondary role with a star-studded squad that includes already established forwards such as Vinícius Júnior, Rodrygo and Kylian Mbappé, but the Brazilian has put himself among the first in line to earn more chances.

And Endrick may get just that — and even his first start with the Spanish powerhouse — as Madrid begins a series of matches that could prompt Ancelotti to start rotating his squad more often.

The series will begin on Saturday with a match against Espanyol in the Spanish league, where Madrid is already four points behind Barcelona after a lackluster start. There will also be a few Champions League matches coming up, and it should be a matter of time before Endrick gets his opportunity.

“He has this gift, which is very effective, and in training you can see that he has something special,” coach Ancelotti said. “He’s very effective, with a very strong and very quick shot. He has proved to be very brave in all senses of the word.”

Endrick impressed Ancelotti and his teammates with a stoppage-time goal against Stuttgart in the Champions League on Tuesday, when he decided to deliver a long-range shot instead of taking advantage of a breakaway with Mbappé and Vinícius by his side.

“He had courage because the best approach was to take advantage of the three-on-one situation, but he was confident of scoring and he did that very well because the ultimate goal is to score,” Ancelotti said. “It was the most difficult option. He’s capable of doing things that nobody can think of. Nobody thought he’d be able to shoot in that situation.”

That goal in a 3-1 win at the Santiago Bernabeu made Endrick the youngest Champions League scorer for Madrid, surpassing former great Raúl González. He gained points with the fans when he approached them by going behind the net during his celebration. “Nice to meet you. Endrick,” the Brazilian wrote on Instagram later.

Endrick needed only 10 minutes to make an impression on his Spanish league debut against Valladolid last month, registering a late goal as a substitute to become the youngest foreign player to score for Madrid in the competition. He played in four other matches after that, every time coming off the bench. Endrick, who a few days ago announced he got married, was only 16 when he was sold to Madrid by Brazilian club Palmeiras for more than 40 million euros (about $45 million), plus add-ons, in 2022, but had to wait until he turned 18 before he could start playing for the team.

What’s Next for Endrick?

With the upcoming busy schedule, Endrick could finally get his chance to shine. He has shown glimpses of his potential in his limited appearances, and with more opportunities, he could become a key player for Real Madrid. As Real Madrid aims to reclaim the Liga title, they will need Endrick to step up and make a real impact.

Only time will tell how Endrick will fare at Real Madrid. However, one thing is for sure: he has the talent and potential to become a star. Whether or not he gets the opportunity to prove himself in the coming months remains to be seen.

It will be interesting to see how Carlo Ancelotti manages Endrick’s situation and how the young star responds to the challenge. With his hunger and talent, Endrick is certainly a player to watch in the future.