Real Madrid-bound Endrick makes bold choice as he picks between Cristiano Ronaldo and Ronaldo Nazario
Real Madrid-bound forward Endrick recently made his pick between club legends Cristiano Ronaldo and Ronaldo Nazario.
Endrick currently plays for Palmeiras but is set to join Los Blancos in the summer after he turns 18. The Brazilian forward has impressed during his time with Palmeiras, scoring 18 goals and providing three assists in 66 senior appearances. He also scored two goals in his first two appearances for the Brazilian national team this month.
Endrick was recently asked in an interview to make the hard choice between Cristiano Ronaldo and Ronaldo Nazario. While he first said "Both", he eventually picked the former over his compatriot, saying (via Essentially Sports):
"But Cristiano"
Cristiano Ronaldo joined Real Madrid from Manchester United for a then-world-record fee of £89 million in 2009. He went on to become the club's all-time top scorer in nine years, with 450 goals and 131 assists in 438 games. He helped them win numerous trophies, including four UEFA Champions League trophies.
Ronaldo Nazario, meanwhile, joined Los Blancos from Inter Milan in 2002 and spent five years at the club. He registered 103 goals and 35 assists in 177 games for them, winning two La Liga titles, among other honors.
Endrick hails Real Madrid legend Cristiano Ronaldo as his idol
As many recent superstars have done, Endrick looks up to Ronaldo as his idol due to his achievements and mentality. The five-time Ballon d'Or winner is regarded as one of the greatest players of all time and has won almost every trophy available to him.
Endrick is expected to receive the No. 9 shirt at Real Madrid, which Ronaldo wore during his early days at the club. In a recent interview, the Brazilian spoke about following in the Portuguese legend's steps, saying:
"My dream since I was little, has always been to play for Real Madrid. Cristiano Ronaldo is one of my biggest idols. So it is a great pride to know that I will wear the same shirt he wore.”
Endrick also said that he follows Ronaldo on Instagram and hopes that someday, he'll follow him back as he said:
"God willing, all will go well at Real Madrid and with my career, and Cristiano will follow me!”
Endrick concluded by hailing Cristiano Ronaldo's mentality, saying:
"More than anyone, I watched Cristiano. Not just his highlights, but also how hard he worked, and what others said about his mentality. From him, I learned that hard work is more important than talent.”
Ronaldo is still going strong, despite being 39, with Al-Nassr. He has contributed 30 goals and 11 assists in 33 games across competitions for the Saudi Arabian side this season.