Try The Athletic for FREE for 30 days: https://theathletic.com/tifofootball 📗 Tifo's new book, "How to Watch Football" is now available internationally: https://linktr.ee/tifobook When 18-year-old superstar Endrick arrived at Real Madrid in the summer of 2024, expectations were sky-high. More than 60,000 fans packed the Bernabéu to welcome the Brazilian sensation - seen by many as the next big talent after Vinicius Jr. and Rodrygo, and potentially the long-awaited heir to Brazil’s legendary No. 9, following in the footsteps of Ronaldo Nazário. Endrick’s first season showed promise with 37 first-team appearances, but just two months into his second season… something feels off. He hasn’t played a single minute. Not for Real Madrid. Not for Brazil. Not since May. So what happened? Is he injured? Being protected? Falling down the pecking order? Or is there a bigger story behind the scenes? Written by Mario Cortegana & Illustrated by Marco Bevilacqua Follow Tifo Football by The Athletic: Twitter: https://twitter.com/TifoFootball_ Facebook: http://facebook.com/TifoFootball Instagram: http://instagram.com/TifoFootball_ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@tifofootball_ Listen to the Tifo Football podcast: The Athletic UK: http://bit.ly/TifoPodChannel Apple Podcasts: http://bit.ly/TifoFootPod Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/06QIGhqK31Qw1UvfHzRIDA Watch more Tifo: Tifo Football Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@tifo-podcast Tifo Sports by The Athletic: https://www.youtube.com/@TifoSports About Tifo Football by The Athletic: Tifo loves football. We create In-depth tactical, historical and geopolitical breakdowns of the beautiful game. We know there’s an appetite for thoughtful, intelligent content. For stuff that makes the complicated simple. We provide analysis on the Premier League, Champions League, La Liga, Serie A, Bundesliga, World Cup and more. Our podcasts interview some of the game’s leading figures. And our editorial covers football with depth and insight. Founded in 2017 and became a part of The Athletic in 2020. For business inquiries, reach out to tifo@theathletic.com. Additional footage sourced from freestockfootagearchive.com Music provided by epidemicsound.com #football #realmadrid #brazil