Daily Times

Rising teenage star Endrick will be handed his first start for Brazil in their crunch Copa America quarter-final clash with Uruguay, Brazil coach Dorival Jr. said Friday.

Endrick, 17, will come into the starting line-up to replace the suspended Vinicius Jr, who collected his second yellow card of the tournament in Tuesday’s draw with Colombia.

Endrick, who will join Real Madrid at the end of the tournament, will form a front three alongside Raphinha and Rodrygo for Saturday’s game at the Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas.

It will be the biggest test to date of Endrick’s fledgling international career, which so far has comprised nine games, all of them as a substitute.

Dorival said while Brazil had initially planned to bring on Endrick slowly, he was confident he was ready to start against Uruguay.

“We lost a very important player of course,” Dorival said referring to Vinicius Jr’s suspension. “But we gained a player who is emerging, looking for an opportunity. Maybe this is Endrick’s moment.

“We always said that we did not want to rush Endrick and that at the right time he would be given the opportunity.”

At 17 years and 11 months, he is the second-youngest player in the Copa America after Ecuador’s Kendry Paez, who is 17 years and one month old.