Endrick’s father, Douglas Sousa, launched a scathing attack on Real Madrid, insisting that his son has not yet had a fair chance to prove himself at the Santiago Bernabéu.
Endrick was forced to leave Real Madrid last winter, joining Lyon on loan after falling completely out of favor with coach Xabi Alonso, and his chances of making the 2026 World Cup squad became slim.
Since arriving at Lyon, the 18-year-old has been in excellent form, most recently scoring a stunning goal against Paris Saint-Germain last week.
Souza spoke about his son’s experience at Real Madrid, saying, “They robbed him of his amusement park.”
Souza explained what this phrase truly means in Indrik’s mindset: the idea that football is not just a profession for him, but his natural environment.
He added: “Endrick has a famous saying: ‘My playground is the football pitch.’ All he ever wanted was to play the game.”
He continued: “In a way, they took that playground away from him, but he rediscovered that happiness in Lyon. He’s happy now, and the whole family is happy.”
In closing, Sousa revealed that the decision to move to Lyon wasn’t taken lightly, as the family played a pivotal role in the move. He said: “My sister-in-law (Endrick’s wife) was instrumental in his move to Lyon. And that’s all that matters to us: seeing him happy.”
