Endrick Felipe, the next Pele in offing?

Brazil is popular as the land of samba and forest. The country is also as much famous for the beautiful game of football. The South American nation has provided many world-class footballers like goal-scoring freak Pele and leg-breaking skill master Ronaldinho. Soccer fans across the globe have been fascinated by promising stars like Neymar and Vinicius Jr in recent times. The land has been a mine for top-notch footballers and Endrick Felipe Moreira de Sousa is the latest raw diamond to join the list.

The 16-year-old promising star is considered as the brightest star in Brazil and football experts across the globe are of the opinion that he is going to be the next big thing in football. The whole Europe is keeping a tab on him. So, the million dollar question is- is Felipe going to be the next Pele in offing?

Who is Felipe?

Endrick Felipe is from Brasilia. The gifted player started playing football just as the age of four. After gaining popularity through social media, he was signed by Sao Paulo-based club Palmeiras and subsequently he took the game like a duck takes to water. The promising star came to the limelight after striking as many as 165 goals from 169 matches in his first five years stint with the club.

Felipe is currently with the Brazilian colts and with his current performances, he is all set to be promoted to the senior team soon. He also took the Copa Sao Paulo de Futebol Junior tournament by storm after scoring seven goals which helped Palmeiras to annex their maiden Copinha title in 53 years.

Felipe’s potential

Felipe is currently top performing in an age group which is five years above his age. It clearly suggests his true potential. However, as per many experts, it will be too early to predict the future of the emerging star. The tough task for Felipe will be to cope with the pressure and sustain his top-notch form for a long period of time.

So far, the promising star has taken a long stride in his career. He has also represented Brazil U-17 team and scored five goals from five matches. If he keeps his performance graph steady like this, a call to the senior team is just round the corner.

Stats speak

Felipe caught the attention of fans and experts in Copinha tournament by scoring seven goals and emerging as the top striker for champions Palmeiras. He has played 24 matches in different U-17 and U-20 tournaments and struck 19 goals and six assists. In addition, he struck 12 goals for Palmeiras in 21 matches and five goals for Brazilian U-17 team in four games. He has a whooping average of goal contributions in just every 69 matches.

Skill sets

Though Felipe is a striker, he is capable enough to play in the left and right wings. He uses pace and dribbling to get space within the opposition’s defence with ease. He is quite adept to make inroads into opposition’s boxes in time to put his finishing touches into the goalpost with both his feet. As per Felipe, he loves to press high up the pitch to win the ball back. The emerging star also covers a lot of ground which makes him a perfect forward in modern football.

Contract and future

Felipe doesn’t have a professional contract till now and he became eligible for it when he turned 16. Palmeiras are in talk with him for extension. As per many experts, the club could be the best atmosphere for the emerging star to flourish at this stage of his career. However, other European clubs have also evinced interest in signing Felipe and Chelsea was the latest to be linked.

Several football experts across the globe are of the opinion that if any player looks capable of adding his name to that esteemed bunch of Brazilian great footballers, then it’s only Felipe in recent times.