Endrick reacts to comparisons with Brazil legends Pele & Ronaldo

Real Madrid prodigy Endrick has brushed off comparisons to Brazilian legends Pele and Ronaldo, insisting he only wants to be his own person as his career develops.

Endrick is still playing his football for Palmeiras, with a €60m transfer to Madrid agreed in December 2022 but the teenager not yet old enough to legally join his new club under FIFA rules. He will be able to link up with Carlo Ancelotti’s squad when he turns 18 in July.

In the meantime, Endrick’s rise to fame has unsurprisingly brought comparisons with other Brazilians that have become superstars while still teenagers. One is Pele, who fired Brazil to a maiden World Cup triumph in 1958 aged 17, another is Ronaldo, who scored 98 goals in 104 games for Cruzeiro and PSV Eindhoven and became the world's most expensive player before celebrating his 20th birthday.

"There are things that happen and there are people who speak and say, 'He is the new Pele, the new Ronaldo…' I want to be Endrick and for me, what is said does not matter to me," Endrick told CazeTV.

"Now I have a great responsibility, I am going to endure the pressure because I know I can help my family and I also want to encourage other young people."

Madrid's capture of Endrick for big money well in advance of his 18th birthday is a continuation of the recruitment policy that previously saw them land Vinicius Junior and Rodrygo from Flamengo and Santos respectively. Barcelona's signing of Neymar in 2013 was different because he was already 21 at the time, while the only thing that delayed Vitor Roque’s recent arrival was finances.

Under FIFA rules, a player is only allowed to transfer clubs internationally as a minor if their legal guardian(s) relocate to a new country for reasons other than football. Those within the European Union or European Economic Area can move at 16.

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