By Milcah Tanimu
Brazilian sensation Endrick made his Real Madrid debut in a 1-0 friendly defeat to AC Milan on Wednesday. The match, held at Chicago’s Soldier Field, attracted a crowd of 61,568.
Despite the absence of several key players, including Kylian Mbappé, Vinícius Júnior, Jude Bellingham, and Rodrygo, the 18-year-old forward showcased his potential. Endrick managed one shot on goal during his 45-minute stint before being substituted at halftime as part of manager Carlo Ancelotti’s rotation.
“Endrick is someone who has something truly special,” Ancelotti said. “He’s very fast, very dangerous in tight spaces, and has the ability to turn with speed in little space. He’s very agile in getting himself free, and all these qualities mean he’s a great talent. It’s rare to see a player with these characteristics.”
The decisive goal for Milan came in the 56th minute from Nigerian winger Samuel Chukwueze, securing a second pre-season victory for manager Paulo Fonseca’s side.
“We competed, we fought, we did some good things,” Ancelotti added. “The first game of the pre-season with a lot of youngsters, the important thing was to compete, which we did for the whole game. There were some good moments and others we could improve on, but that’s normal.”
Real Madrid’s next match on their U.S. tour is an edition of ‘El Clasico’ against Barcelona in New Jersey on Saturday.
