Brazilian Prodigy Endrick Looks to Make Major Tournament Debut at Copa America

Brazil's Endrick, right, celebrates with Rodrygo after scoring his side's second goal during a friendly soccer match between Spain and Brazil at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid, Spain, Tuesday, March 26, 2024. (AP)
Brazil's Endrick, right, celebrates with Rodrygo after scoring his side's second goal during a friendly soccer match between Spain and Brazil at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid, Spain, Tuesday, March 26, 2024. (AP)
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Brazilian Prodigy Endrick Looks to Make Major Tournament Debut at Copa America

Brazil's Endrick, right, celebrates with Rodrygo after scoring his side's second goal during a friendly soccer match between Spain and Brazil at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid, Spain, Tuesday, March 26, 2024. (AP)
Brazil's Endrick, right, celebrates with Rodrygo after scoring his side's second goal during a friendly soccer match between Spain and Brazil at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid, Spain, Tuesday, March 26, 2024. (AP)

Brazil's teenage prodigy Endrick will be hoping to make his first appearance for the national team at a major tournament when his country take on Costa Rica in their Copa America opener on Monday.

The 17-year-old striker, who joined Real Madrid from Palmeiras, knows he has a long way to go to break into the Brazilian starting line-up in a squad that includes Raphinha, Vinicius Jr and Rodrygo in attack.

"Only God knows (when I will start). I am very grateful to have Abel (Ferreira) as a coach, he knew when to play me. Everything is up to God and Professor Dorival Jr. He is a spectacular coach. He is doing what is best for the Brazilian team," Endrick told a press conference on Friday.

Endrick, who in March became the youngest player to score in an international match at Wembley when he gave Brazil a 1-0 win over England, made his mark in the other warm-up fixtures ahead of Copa America with a goal in a 3-2 victory over Mexico, having also scored against Spain.

The ruthless competitor added that, despite his youth, there was no pressure on him on the pitch because of his confidence against the opponents.

"I have always been very precocious in my life and since I became a professional I have played against opponents who have always teased me, insulted me, talked about my family, my girlfriend," he said.

"But I got used to it quickly because I was 16. I'm calm and I hope I can help, I think it's right, in football you have to destabilize the other player. It's been like that since I arrived, so I've adapted and I'm very confident that I can help the team."

Brazil will also face Paraguay and Colombia in Group D.



Villa Defender Tyrone Mings Named on Euro 2028 Board of Directors

Aston Villa's Marcus Rashford, left, and Aston Villa's Tyrone Mings at the start of the Champions League round of 16 first leg soccer match between Club Brugge and Aston Villa at the Jan Breydel Stadium in Bruges, Belgium, Tuesday, March 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Geert Vanden Wijngaert)
Aston Villa's Marcus Rashford, left, and Aston Villa's Tyrone Mings at the start of the Champions League round of 16 first leg soccer match between Club Brugge and Aston Villa at the Jan Breydel Stadium in Bruges, Belgium, Tuesday, March 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Geert Vanden Wijngaert)
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Villa Defender Tyrone Mings Named on Euro 2028 Board of Directors

Aston Villa's Marcus Rashford, left, and Aston Villa's Tyrone Mings at the start of the Champions League round of 16 first leg soccer match between Club Brugge and Aston Villa at the Jan Breydel Stadium in Bruges, Belgium, Tuesday, March 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Geert Vanden Wijngaert)
Aston Villa's Marcus Rashford, left, and Aston Villa's Tyrone Mings at the start of the Champions League round of 16 first leg soccer match between Club Brugge and Aston Villa at the Jan Breydel Stadium in Bruges, Belgium, Tuesday, March 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Geert Vanden Wijngaert)

Aston Villa defender Tyrone Mings was named on Thursday on the board of directors for the European Championship in Britain and Ireland in 2028.
The 32-year-old Mings is the only player among the three independent non-executive directors helping to organize the tournament, The Associated Press reported.
Mings has played for Villa since 2019 and has made 18 appearances for England, for which he was part of the squad at the 2021 tournament.
He has missed large chunks of the past two seasons because of injuries and will be 35 when Euro 2028 takes place, likely meaning he won't be involved in the England squad then.
Confirmation of Mings' involvement came in the announcement of the company — officially named “UK & Ireland 2028 Limited” — tasked with delivering Euro 2028. English Football Association chair Debbie Hewitt will also chair the Euro 2028 board.
A tournament anchored in England with modern stadiums generating huge matchday revenues was a safe choice for UEFA eyeing its bottom line after the high-maintenance, low-revenue Euro 2021 that was staged during the pandemic in half-empty venues across 11 countries.
UEFA cash reserves after the pandemic dropped to 360 million euros in its most recent financial report, and Euro 2028 is set to lift the number back above UEFA’s target of 500 million euros.
The men’s Euros, held every four years, is the foundation of UEFA’s finances and funds development payments to its members.
Everton's new waterfront stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock is set to open for the start of next season, replacing the club's long-time home of Goodison Park, and was included in the list of venues hosting Euro 2028 matches announced in April 2023. Bramley-Moore Dock is currently staging test events.
Casement Park, a derelict stadium in Belfast, was also on the initial list but has since been dropped, with the British government unable to commit to providing the funding to redevelop it in time. UEFA says it hasn’t yet decided where to reallocate the games that would have been in Belfast.