There is a real sense of excitement at Lyon following the arrival of Endrick, and the player himself seems to be seeing the light at the end of the tunnel after a rather challenging half-season under Xabi Alonso at Real Madrid.
During his introduction at the French club, the striker from Taguatinga appeared calm, comfortable, and relieved.
"When Lyon reached out to me, it was a very important moment for me, my wife, and my family. I wanted to go out and play," he admitted.
"I wanted to leave Real Madrid to get playing time. As soon as Lyon contacted me, I accepted right away. I'm very happy. I'm here to help the team," he added, fully aware that if he performs at his best, he will get plenty of minutes in France.
Above all, he made it clear that he sees himself as just another member of the Olympique de Lyon squad: "I'm not here to change the team, just to contribute. I don't want to be the key player. I'm here at the coach's disposal," he stated.
Ancelotti's advice
The most interesting part came when he revealed he had spoken with his former coach at Real Madrid, who now has a say in whether he goes to this year's World Cup with Brazil. "I spoke with Carlo Ancelotti. He gave me some guidance.
"He told me what I could do to improve. It really touched me, because I wanted his advice. He said, 'Go, play and improve your football, be happy.'
"That meant a lot to me. I've always followed his advice and trained very well with him," he said.
Finally, he made it clear that he's ready for any challenge: "You talk about pressure, but let me remind you that I played in Brazil, where the pressure is extremely high.
"How many views my videos get doesn't matter. I live my life; what happens on the pitch is just a result. I want to have a great career and focus on football," he concluded.