The standout fixture of the most recent set of international friendlies saw England host Brazil at Wembley Stadium. Both countries entered this match on completely different trajectories. Thanks to the emergence of Jude Bellingham as one of the best players on the planter coupled with the development of several others as well as the squad's increased cohesion since the 2022 World Cup, England entered the match as one of the favourites to win the upcoming Euro 2024 and as such, were generally expected to soundly beat their South American opponents.
Brazil, on the other hand, had been floundering ever since their disappointing World Cup campaign in Qatar. The Seleção are currently in sixth place in CONMEBOL World Cup qualifying for the 2026 tournament - a position which, had it not been for the expansion of international football's showpiece event to 48 teams, would have meant that Brazil would've been on pace to fail to qualify for the World Cup for the first time in the tournament's history.
Coming off the bench in the 71st minute to replace future Real Madrid teammate Rodrygo, Endrick seized his opportunity in just his third appearance for his country. Nine minutes after Endrick entered the match, Vinícius Júnior's shot was saved by Jordan Pickford - only for Endrick to be right there to finish off the follow-up for his first career international goal. Brazil would then hang on to claim a victory that, while being in a friendly match, would certainly do a great deal to boost the general vibes around the national team, especially given the fact that this was a win over one of the best international teams on the planet - and this on the Three Lions' home turf as well.
Understandably, all the buzz following the match was about Endrick. Set to sign for Real in July following a transfer fee of €60 million which was agreed upon all the way back in December 2022, the 17-year-old from Brasília took the hype around him to a new level. Having recently been ranked second behind Barcelona wonderkid Lamine Yamal in Goal.com's NXGN list of the most promising young talents in world football, Endrick proved that even at his age, he's more than ready and able to step up when the moment calls for it - a rare quality even among seasoned veterans.
Of course, although early signs are tantalizing, it's too early to say for sure if Endrick will go on to fulfill his immense potential. However, if he even comes close to doing so, Brazil might have their next superstar who could be the cornerstone of a team that could potentially bring in that elusive sixth World Cup. Over all these years in which Brazil have been spearheaded by Neymar, it has never worked out. As talented as he was at his peak, I have always said that a team led by Neymar or any player in his mold will never win anything - and this has been borne out time and again. In fact, Brazil have usually played better without Neymar than with him.
However, Endrick does not project to be such a player. Should he become Brazil's best player at his peak, his playstyle would be much more conducive to winning. Considering the fact that Vinícius Júnior and Rodrygo are still both 23, Brazil might very well have found their starting attacking trio for the next half-decade and beyond. With the old guard such as Neymar, Casemiro, and Danilo on their way out, Brazil are sorely in need of a roster that will bridge the gap to the next generation of potential World Cup contenders. With this in mind, we might have just seen the first steps of a fresh start - and one which for all we know, might end up in ultimate glory.
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