Brazil forward Endrick has revealed how Jude Bellingham and Trent Alexander-Arnold helped him navigate a difficult first season at Real Madrid, while joking that understanding the pair remains a challenge despite their frequent conversations.
The teenage striker credited both team-mates for providing vital emotional support during a frustrating period at the Santiago Bernabeu before a successful loan spell at Lyon reignited his career.
Endrick has returned to Real Madrid after an impressive six-month loan stint with Lyon that allowed him to gain the regular playing time he struggled to find in Spain.
The 19-year-old arrived in Madrid surrounded by some of the world’s biggest stars, making opportunities difficult to come by in one of football’s most competitive squads.
However, his temporary move to France proved transformative, helping him regain confidence, improve his consistency and ultimately secure a place in Brazil’s World Cup squad.
Despite the challenges, Endrick insists his difficult first year at Real Madrid was an invaluable learning experience.
Speaking to Men in Blazers on YouTube, he said: “The first year is always tough.
“You arrive at a club with players like Luka Modric, Vinicius, Rodrygo… It’s very difficult to play with all of them, but you also learn a lot.
“I’ve been able to put everything I’ve learned into practice at Lyon, and when I return I’ll be able to demonstrate it there.”
While opportunities on the pitch were limited, Endrick revealed that the support he received from within the dressing room played a huge role in helping him stay positive.
Among those who helped him most was England star Bellingham, who regularly checked in on the Brazilian whenever he was struggling.
“Bellingham calls me every day,” Endrick revealed.
“When I was feeling down, he’d pick me up and we’d talk. He helped me a lot.”
The young forward explained that those conversations were crucial during moments when confidence was low and uncertainty about his future was growing.
New Real Madrid signing Alexander-Arnold also played a key role in helping Endrick settle.
The Brazilian described both England internationals as approachable figures who made a genuine effort to support him away from football.
However, there remains one issue Endrick has yet to solve.
“Trent too. They’re very approachable players,” he said.
“I try to learn from them, including English, but it’s impossible to understand them.”
The light-hearted remark drew attention to the language barriers that can sometimes exist within multinational dressing rooms, though it clearly has not prevented strong friendships from forming.
Looking back on his decision to join Lyon on loan, Endrick admitted it was one of the most important choices of his young career.
“It wasn’t difficult to go to Lyon,” he explained.
“In the end, God told me I had to go, and I went. I wasn’t afraid; it’s been one of the best decisions of my life.”
The forward believes the move provided exactly what he needed at that stage of his development.
“I needed to play. I’ve been able to score goals, provide assists, and play a lot of minutes.”
Those performances have strengthened his position ahead of the new season and increased hopes that he can become a more prominent figure at Real Madrid moving forward.
With his confidence restored, Endrick is now preparing for the biggest tournament of his career.
Representing Brazil at the World Cup is something he describes as the ultimate honour, particularly given the country’s long wait to lift football’s most coveted trophy.
“Playing in a World Cup is the greatest thing,” he said.
“Being able to represent my country is a dream come true.”
Endrick also paid tribute to Brazil icon Neymar and manager Carlo Ancelotti, praising both figures for their influence on his career.
“Neymar has Brazilian DNA. He’s one of the best in our history,” he said.
“I get along very well with Ancelotti. He’s a great coach and understands you very well as a person. I know they have a lot of respect for me.”
After a difficult introduction to life at Real Madrid, Endrick now heads into the World Cup with renewed confidence, stronger relationships inside the dressing room and a growing belief that his breakthrough at the Bernabeu is only a matter of time.
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