Brazil wonderkid Endrick stuns England at Wembley
Wonderkid Endrick scored his first goal for Brazil as the five-time world champions hit England’s Euro 2024 preparations with a 1-0 victory in an international friendly at Wembley.
The 17-year-old sensation will join Real Madrid from Palmeiras this summer for £62m, but showed Europe a glimpse of his potential with a poacher’s finish with nine minutes remaining, tapping in after Jordan Pickford saved Vinicius Jnr’s one-on-one chance.
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Endrick had only just come on as a substitute and his celebrations were wild. Pickford then denied him a second with the last kick of the game – it was some cameo.
Brazil should have been ahead long before that breakthrough, with Kyle Walker injuring himself in the process of stopping a goal-bound Vinicius shot in a first half which also saw Rodrygo fire wide after Harry Maguire’s error and Lucas Paqueta hit a post. England’s defending was ragged.
The home side felt West Ham’s Paqueta should have been shown a second yellow card for a foul on the targeted Jude Bellingham before the break, but they should have hit the net themselves when Ollie Watkins given his chance in the absence of injured captain Harry Kane blazed over inside the box.
The second half drifted for long periods as England – missing 12 squad regulars – laboured but ultimately it was an injury-hit Brazil, packed with debutants, a new manager in charge, and on their worst run of results in 22 years who came out on top.
Gareth Southgate and England will need to find more of a spark and more defensive cohesion when they face Belgium at the national stadium on Tuesday if they are to showcase why they are being fancied among the favourites to become European champions in Germany this summer.
With new boss Dorival Junior fielding five debutants in his Brazil line-up, England looked to capitalise on any uncertainty in their backline and threatened through a couple of early set-pieces. That would be a feature of the first half, with Brazil racking up 12 fouls and Paqueta fortunate not to pick up a second yellow – but England’s deliveries lacked precision.
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England boss Gareth Southgate handed Anthony Gordon his debut and Ollie Watkins the chance to impress from the start. Conor Gallagher also got the nod in midfield.
Injury-hit Brazil named five debutants in their starting team: goalkeeper Bento, Fabricio Bruno, Beraldo, Wendell and Wolves’ Joao Gomes. Vinicius Jr started in attack.
England are back in action again on Tuesday when they take on Belgium at the same venue.