“I became a Real Madrid fan since I saw Cristiano Ronaldo” - Los Blancos star makes huge admission on idol
Real Madrid's new signing Endrick has made a big admission that he became a fan of the La Liga giants after seeing Cristiano Ronaldo play for them. The young Brazilian was unveiled as the new Galactico at the Santiago Bernabeu on Saturday (July 27). He is their second major signing of the summer after Kylian Mbappe.
Los Blancos had reached an agreement with Palmeiras to sign Endrick in December 2022, when he was only 16. But the player was set to officially join the side after he reached the legal age of 18.
With that requirement now ticked, Endrick was finally presented as the new Real Madrid player on Saturday. The Brazil international signed a four-year contract with the European champions.
During his first address to the press as a Madrid player, he made a big revelation that he's been a fan of the club since he watched Ronaldo play for them.
“I became a Real Madrid fan since I saw Cristiano Ronaldo.”
Ronaldo was arguably the greatest ever player for Real Madrid, and his influence on young players is remarkable. Just days ago, Mbappe had copied his 'Hala Madrid' celebration at his unveiling in front of the fans.
During his nine years with the club, the Portuguese ace struck 450 goals, a club record, in just 438 appearances. He won 15 titles, including four in the Champions League.
Endrick will be hoping to emulate his success at Real Madrid, as the forward is considered one of the most promising players in the world. He announced himself to the world by breaking into Palmeiras' senior team in 2022. However, truly came of age in the 2022-23 season, when he scored 11 goals in 31 games in the Brazilian Serie A.
His burgeoning reputation didn't go unnoticed with the Brazil national team, earning his first cap in November 2023. Since then, he has made nine more appearances and struck thrice, including against European giants such as Spain and England.
Real Madrid begin new season on August 14
Real Madrid will begin their new season on August 14 as they play Atalanta in the UEFA Super Cup at the National Stadium Warsaw in Poland. It's an opportunity for them to lift their fourth title of the calendar year, while their La Liga campaign begins just four days later at Mallorca.
Holders of the league and European titles, Los Blancos have a big campaign ahead of them. They have been preparing accordingly with some big signings, such as that of Kylian Mbappe and Endrick. Both players are expected to make their official debuts in the one-off cup game next month.
Their pre-season campaign is also underway now. Carlo Ancelotti's side will face AC Milan, Barcelona, and Chelsea in their next three games in the US. Madrid seek to blow away the cobwebs ahead of their season-opener.