Endrick Surpasses Ronaldo and Makes History in European Football

Endrick has written a historic chapter in European football. The Brazilian forward recorded the first hat trick of his professional career with Olympique Lyon and became the youngest Brazilian player ever to score three goals in a single match in Europe, surpassing the record previously held by Ronaldo Nazário.

At just 19 years and 188 days old, Endrick broke the mark set by Ronaldo in 1997, when the legendary striker scored his first European hat trick with Inter Milan at the age of 21. The stunning performance against Metz immediately captured attention across France and further cemented the young attacker’s status as a rising phenomenon. On loan from Real Madrid, Endrick needed only three official matches to make his impact felt, tallying four goals and one assist while directly influencing every game he has played for Lyon.

The Brazilian made his debut against Lille in the Coupe de France, scoring within just 25 minutes. Against Brest, he provided an assist and caused constant problems with his pace and power. Then, against Metz, he delivered a memorable hat trick that will live on in the club’s history.

That performance also made Endrick the youngest player ever to score a hat trick wearing a Lyon jersey, surpassing a long-standing record held by Bernard Lacombe. He even eclipsed his childhood idol Karim Benzema, who recorded his first professional hat trick at an older age.

Only eight players in French football history have scored a hat trick at a younger age than Endrick—a list that includes stars such as Kylian Mbappé and Ousmane Dembélé. Even so, no Brazilian had ever achieved such a feat at such a young age in European football.

Paulo Fonseca was the driving force behind Endrick’s arrival, placing his trust in the Brazilian’s talent from their very first conversations. The coach highlighted Endrick’s immediate impact and made it clear that the teenager still has significant room to grow, both physically and technically.

Endrick is doing more than just scoring goals. At only 19 years old, he is already breaking records once held by legends. France is enjoying him, Europe is watching closely, and the name Ronaldo now has a worthy successor written into the history books.