Is "New Pelé" Off the Team?! World Cup Dream on the Brink!

Why 'The New Pele' Is Still Fighting For a Spot on Brazil's 2026 World Cup Squad

Is "New Pelé" Off the Team?! World Cup Dream on th...

Remember Endrick? The kid who was supposed to be the next Pele? Well, his World Cup dreams, which seemed almost dead at the start of the year, have been given a serious shot in the arm. That loan move to Lyon on January 1st appears to have been a masterstroke. It's like he's rediscovered that electrifying spark that made him such a hot commodity back at Palmeiras.

Six goal involvements in just seven appearances for Lyon? That's the kind of form that makes people sit up and take notice. It's easy to forget, but Real Madrid shelled out a cool €60 million ($71m) for him back in December 2022. Now, he's actually showing why.

Naturally, all this good form is stirring up talk about a potential return to the Brazil national team. The March international break is looming, and *Selecao* boss Carlo Ancelotti is certainly watching. In fact, Ancelotti, having seen Endrick's talent up close during his time at Madrid, even suggested this loan move to give the youngster a better chance of making the World Cup squad. Smart thinking, Carlo.

Make no mistake, Endrick being back on Ancelotti's radar is a big win in itself. But let's be real, securing a spot on that plane to North America for the 2026 World Cup is still going to be a major challenge. Despite the impressive showings for Lyon, there are still those flashes of youthful immaturity. And, honestly, Brazil's attacking depth is just insane. He needs to be exceptional to really stand out.

His first year at Madrid wasn't a complete disaster, mind you. He did score on his La Liga and Champions League debuts. He also became the first *Blancos* player since Cristiano Ronaldo to bag five goals in a single Copa del Rey campaign, ultimately finishing as the competition's joint-top scorer. Not bad, eh?

The problem was playing time. He only got a measly nine minutes in extra time during Real's Copa del Rey final defeat to Barcelona. Ancelotti often seemed to overlook him in crucial games, giving him just 35 minutes across the Champions League knockout stages. That's gotta sting.

As far back as September, Ancelotti was defending his limited use of Endrick: "Yes, I may be being unfair, because he is training well. But in front of him are Vinicius [Jr], Rodrygo, [Kylian] Mbappe... it is necessary for him to be a little patient." And in February, he admitted, "He has a lot of accuracy, he’s quick, powerful and although he still needs to handle the ball better, he’s got that release, that finishing. His shooting is spectacular. He’s very young, but he’s a very quick learner."

That said, Endrick's decision-making sometimes did let him down. There was that tendency to hold onto the ball a little too long, disrupting Madrid's attacking flow. Still, Ancelotti seemed to be taking a long-term view, retaining Endrick's trust even with his limited role.

"He's happy, working hard and he looks motivated. I'm thrilled with him," Ancelotti said back in April. "If you want to be at Real Madrid, you..." The sentence trails off, but the message is clear: the pressure is on. Endrick's got the talent, but he needs to keep proving it. The fight for that World Cup spot is far from over.