Future Real Madrid striker Endrick has admitted he prefers Cristiano Ronaldo to Lionel Messi as he prepares to line up against the Argentine on Wednesday.
Having made his debut for Brazil earlier this week, the 17-year-old striker is now set to feature for his country in Wednesday's clash of the South American giants, with Endrick looking forward to getting his first sight of Messi on the pitch.
Despite his excitement towards facing Messi, however, Endrick conceded his allegiances lie with Ronaldo.
"[Messi] is a phenomenal guy, he won the best in the world again this year," Endrick said. "I just want to enjoy the moment of playing against him, being in the same stadium as him, a guy I only saw in video games.
"I’m more of a fan of Cristiano Ronaldo and [Palmeiras teammate Luis] Guilherme used to joke with me that Messi was the best. But it will be a wonderful experience to see Messi up close."
However, Endrick snubbed both Ronaldo and Messi when asked to name his greatest player of all time.
"For me, Pele is O’Rei," he said "There is no one who comes close to being compared to him. I just thank God that he existed and I was able to watch his clips."
Endrick will turn 18 on July 21, 2024, at which point he will be free to sign his contract and begin his career as a Real Madrid player.
Madrid are hopeful that Endrick's arrival at the club will coincide with another influx of talent, with club officials already plotting a move to sign Bayern Munich left-back Alphonso Davies at the end of the season.
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This article was originally published on 90min as Endrick chooses side in Cristiano Ronaldo vs Lionel Messi debate.
