Endrick Makes Madrid Debut and Becomes Youngest Foreign Player to Score for Club in Spanish League 

Real Madrid's Endrick celebrates after scoring his side's third goal during the Spanish La Liga soccer match between Real Madrid and Valladolid at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid, Spain, Sunday, Aug. 25, 2024. (AP)
Real Madrid's Endrick celebrates after scoring his side's third goal during the Spanish La Liga soccer match between Real Madrid and Valladolid at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid, Spain, Sunday, Aug. 25, 2024. (AP)
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Endrick Makes Madrid Debut and Becomes Youngest Foreign Player to Score for Club in Spanish League 

Real Madrid's Endrick celebrates after scoring his side's third goal during the Spanish La Liga soccer match between Real Madrid and Valladolid at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid, Spain, Sunday, Aug. 25, 2024. (AP)
Real Madrid's Endrick celebrates after scoring his side's third goal during the Spanish La Liga soccer match between Real Madrid and Valladolid at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid, Spain, Sunday, Aug. 25, 2024. (AP)

Endrick needed only 10 minutes to make an impression in his debut with Real Madrid.

The Brazil teenager replaced Kylian Mbappé late in the match and scored deep into stoppage time to seal Madrid's 3-0 win over Valladolid on Sunday.

The goal made Endrick the youngest foreign player to score for Madrid in the Spanish league at 18 years, 35 days, surpassing Frenchman Raphael Varane, who was 18 years, 152 days when he scored in 2011.

“He’s looking very good and he has a lot of potential,” Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti said of Endrick. “He has shown his quality very quickly with his control and he’s got a very powerful shot. He’s a center forward and very dangerous in tight spaces.”

It was the first league win for defending champion Madrid after it opened with a 1-1 draw at Mallorca last weekend.

Mbappé scored in Madrid's UEFA Super Cup win over Atalanta at the start of the season but has yet to find the net in the first two league matches. The France star was making his debut at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium as a Madrid player.

Federico Valverde had put Madrid ahead in the 50th, and Brahim Díaz added to the lead in a breakaway in the 88th.

Endrick scored six minutes into stoppage time with a low shot into the near corner after going past a defender entering the area. He had replaced Mbappé in the 86th.

“He deserves it,” Valverde said of Endrick. “He has to keep working, he still has a long way to go with this club, he should keep working hard because he deserves it.”

Endrick was only 16 when he was sold to Madrid by Brazilian club Palmeiras for more than 40 million euros (around $45 million), plus add-ons, in 2022. He stayed with Palmeiras until arriving at Madrid for this season after turning 18. Madrid had already done similar deals with Vinicius Junior and Rodrygo, who are now regular starters with the Spanish club.

Endrick was an unused substitute in the team's first two matches this season, against Atalanta in the UEFA Super Cup and at Mallorca.

Barcelona defeated Athletic Bilbao 2-1 on Saturday for its second consecutive win to start the season. Celta Vigo, which defeated 3-1 Valencia on Friday, also has two wins to open its campaign.

After an opening draw at Villarreal, Atletico Madrid earned its first league victory of the season by defeating Girona 3-0 at home with goals from Antoine Griezmann, Marcos Llorente and Koke Resurrección.

Griezmann put Atletico ahead in the 39th off a free kick prompted by a handball by Girona goalkeeper Paulo Gazzaniga outside the penalty area. Llorente added to the lead with a long-range shot in the 48th, and Koke closed the scoring from close range in stoppage time after an assist by Llorente.

Girona, which surprised with a third-place finish last season, had opened with a 1-1 draw at Real Betis.

In other results, promoted Leganes beat Las Palmas 2-1 at home, while Betis drew 0-0 at Alaves.

Villarreal hosts Celta on Monday.



Life is Beautiful but Juve Keeping Feet on Ground, Says Motta

Soccer Football - Serie A - Juventus v Como - Allianz Stadium, Turin, Italy - August 19, 2024 Juventus coach Thiago Motta reacts REUTERS/Massimo Pinca/File Photo Purchase Licensing Rights
Soccer Football - Serie A - Juventus v Como - Allianz Stadium, Turin, Italy - August 19, 2024 Juventus coach Thiago Motta reacts REUTERS/Massimo Pinca/File Photo Purchase Licensing Rights
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Life is Beautiful but Juve Keeping Feet on Ground, Says Motta

Soccer Football - Serie A - Juventus v Como - Allianz Stadium, Turin, Italy - August 19, 2024 Juventus coach Thiago Motta reacts REUTERS/Massimo Pinca/File Photo Purchase Licensing Rights
Soccer Football - Serie A - Juventus v Como - Allianz Stadium, Turin, Italy - August 19, 2024 Juventus coach Thiago Motta reacts REUTERS/Massimo Pinca/File Photo Purchase Licensing Rights

Juventus coach Thiago Motta described his life as beautiful on Sunday but he is not getting carried away before his team face Hellas Verona.

Motta, brought in after four seasons without a league title for Juventus, began with a 3-0 win over Como and on Monday they go to Verona who started with a 3-0 victory over Napoli.

"We remain with our feet on the ground after the first day of the championship," Reuters quoted Motta telling reporters.

"Now we are on the second day, we face a team that is in good form after their victory against a team that is a serious candidate for the Scudetto.

"We played at home against Como, which was a good performance and a good result for us. Tomorrow I expect a different story and we have to be ready for everything."

Motta attracted the attention of Juventus after taking Bologna to a fifth-place finish last season.

"You look at it from the outside but from the inside my life is beautiful. I wake up early with great energy and enthusiasm to come to training," Motta said.

"I find myself with fantastic people who have that same enthusiasm. I find myself with guys who arrive with a huge desire to improve."

Juventus had been slow to bring in the players Motta requires to challenge for the title, but Argentine winger Nico Gonzalez is having his medical on Sunday before signing from Fiorentina.

Another winger, Francisco Conceicao, is expected to arrive on loan from Porto.

"They are strong players which is why they will come to our squad. Every player that arrives will give us a big hand to be competitive until the end," Motta said.

"That is the case for those already here and those who will arrive."