NEWYou can now listen to Pakinomist articles!
Endrick’s time in Ligue 1 has come to an end as Olympique Lyonnais officially bid farewell to the Brazilian teenager.
Despite outstanding performances that left the French public wanting more, the Real Madrid loanee is heading back to the Santiago Bernabéu for the next chapter of his career, as confirmed by Lyon’s head of recruitment at the weekend.
Recruitment manager confirms departure
Lyon’s head of recruitment, Matthieu Louis-Jean, has confirmed that Endrick will return to Madrid this summer, bringing to an end his impressive five-month spell in France.
The 19-year-old striker joined Lyon in January on a short-term basis without an option to buy, and while the club were happy with his impact, financial and contractual realities mean a permanent or extended stay is off the table.
Speaking to the press after Lyon’s final game of the season, a 4-0 home defeat to Lens, Louis-Jean spoke about the possibility of keeping the Brazilian star.
“Yes, we would like to keep him, but at the moment it seems very unlikely,” he admitted.
“It makes you want to extend his contract. Is it possible? That’s another matter. It’s been a very good loan for Endrick; he’s had a great time here. He’s been surprising, great in the way he’s adapted. He already speaks French, which is incredible. He’s a good boy.”
An instant impact in Ligue 1
Endrick’s statistics during his short stay in the Rhone region speak for themselves.
In just 21 appearances across all competitions, the Brazilian teenager scored eight goals and provided eight assists, proving to be one of the most prolific players in the league since the turn of the year.
Louis-Jean was full of praise for the youngster’s contribution to the team’s late-season surge.
“He brought us a lot in a very short time. He delivered what we expected from him. He is a young player who will improve and I hope he goes to the World Cup and has a great World Cup.
It was a good time together. Now will it continue? Today it’s over, yes.”
Personal feelings and beliefs
The player himself had previously expressed his happiness at the Groupama Stadium, leaving the door ajar for a potential return if circumstances allowed.
After a recent victory over Rennes, Endrick spoke about his future with a sense of calm, placing his career path in the hands of a higher power.
His connection with the Lyon supporters was evident during his final substitution against Lens, where he was greeted with a standing ovation.
Reflecting on his time in France earlier, Endrick said: “I’m taking it one day at a time. Today was great, I’m very happy about that. I’m very happy here, there’s a good team, a good staff, good teammates.
“I feel very well, I don’t know what is going to happen. I am always with God. Whatever God tells me, I will do. If I have to stay in Lyon, go to Madrid, I will do what God tells me. I will wait and see what God tells me. But I am very happy.”
Lyon’s Champions League preparations
With Endrick’s departure, Lyon must now turn their attention to a busy summer and the challenge of the Champions League qualifying rounds.
Having secured fourth place in Ligue 1, the club face an early start to the next campaign.
Louis-Jean confirmed that the recruitment team is already working with manager Paulo Fonseca to identify replacements and strengthen the squad for the European stage.
“We expect it, we have already started working,” he said. “It will be complicated because high-level games are coming very quickly. We have already started working with Paulo (Fonseca) and Benjamin (Charier) about players who could join us.
‘We are going to digest this season, which has been very good for us; we are proud of what we have achieved.”
2026 FIFA World Cup: How to watch
The 2026 FIFA World Cup will run from June 11 to July 19, 2026. Spread over three countries, the tournament will culminate with the final on July 19 at the New York New Jersey Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. All 104 tournament games will be broadcast live across FOX (70) and FS1 (34) with every game streaming live and on-demand on both FOX One and the FOX Sports app. A record 40 games, more than a third of the tournament, are televised in prime time across FOX (21) and FS1 (19).
The June 11 opener between Mexico and South Africa (3 p.m. ET) will stream for free on Tubi, as will the USA’s June 12 opener against Paraguay (9 p.m. ET).
