MADRID — Endrick needed only 10 minutes to make an impression in his debut with Real Madrid.
The Brazil teenager replaced Kylian Mbappé late in the match and scored deep into stoppage time to seal Madrid’s 3-0 win over Valladolid on Sunday.
The goal made Endrick the youngest foreign player to score for Madrid in the Spanish league at 18 years, 35 days, surpassing Frenchman Raphael Varane, who was 18 years, 152 days when he scored in 2011.
“He’s looking very good and he has a lot of potential,” Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti said of Endrick. “He has shown his quality very quickly with his control and he’s got a very powerful shot. He’s a center forward and very dangerous in tight spaces.”
It was the first league win for defending champion Madrid after it opened with a 1-1 draw at Mallorca last weekend.
Mbappé scored in Madrid’s UEFA Super Cup win over Atalanta at the start of the season but has yet to find the net in the first two league matches. The France star was making his debut at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium as a Madrid player.
Federico Valverde had put Madrid ahead in the 50th, and Brahim Díaz added to the lead in a breakaway in the 88th.
Endrick scored six minutes into stoppage time with a low shot into the near corner after going past a defender entering the area. He had replaced Mbappé in the 86th.
“He deserves it,” Valverde said of Endrick. “He has to keep working, he still has a long way to go with this club, he should keep working hard because he deserves it.”
Endrick was only 16 when he was sold to Madrid by Brazilian club Palmeiras for more than 40 million euros (around $45 million), plus add-ons, in 2022. He stayed with Palmeiras until arriving at Madrid for this season after turning 18. Madrid had already done similar deals with Vinicius Junior and Rodrygo, who are now regular starters with the Spanish club.
Endrick was an unused substitute in the team’s first two matches this season, against Atalanta in the UEFA Super Cup and at Mallorca.
Barcelona defeated Athletic Bilbao 2-1 on Saturday for its second consecutive win to start the season. Celta Vigo, which defeated 3-1 Valencia on Friday, also has two wins to open its campaign.
ATLETICO’S FIRST WIN
After an opening draw at Villarreal, Atletico Madrid earned its first league victory of the season by defeating Girona 3-0 at home with goals from Antoine Griezmann, Marcos Llorente and Koke Resurrección.
Griezmann put Atletico ahead in the 39th off a free kick prompted by a handball by Girona goalkeeper Paulo Gazzaniga outside the penalty area. Llorente added to the lead with a long-range shot in the 48th, and Koke closed the scoring from close range in stoppage time after an assist by Llorente.
Girona, which surprised with a third-place finish last season, had opened with a 1-1 draw at Real Betis.
In other results, promoted Leganes beat Las Palmas 2-1 at home, while Betis drew 0-0 at Alaves.
Villarreal hosts Celta on Monday.
In a thrilling match that took place on Saturday, Real Madrid secured a hard-fought victory against Valladolid with a final score of 2-1. The standout moment of the game came when young Brazilian forward Endrick made his debut for the club and scored the winning goal in the dying minutes of the match.
Real Madrid started the game strong, dominating possession and creating several scoring opportunities. However, it was Valladolid who struck first, with a goal from their striker in the 30th minute. The home team’s defense struggled to contain Valladolid’s attacking threat, but managed to keep the deficit to just one goal going into halftime.
In the second half, Real Madrid came out with renewed energy and determination. Their efforts paid off when veteran midfielder Rodriguez equalized with a well-placed shot from outside the box in the 65th minute. The momentum shifted in favor of Real Madrid, as they continued to press forward in search of the winning goal.
Endrick, who had been brought on as a substitute earlier in the second half, proved to be the hero of the match. In the 88th minute, he received a perfectly timed through ball from his teammate and calmly slotted it past the Valladolid goalkeeper to give Real Madrid the lead. The young forward’s goal sent the home crowd into a frenzy and secured all three points for his team.
The victory was a crucial one for Real Madrid, as they continue to chase league leaders Barcelona in the La Liga standings. The win also highlighted the depth of talent in their squad, with young players like Endrick stepping up and making an impact when called upon.
Overall, it was a thrilling and hard-fought victory for Real Madrid, with Endrick’s debut goal proving to be the decisive moment of the match. The team will look to build on this performance and continue their push for the La Liga title in the remaining matches of the season.