Lyon forward Endrick Felipe has sparked widespread conversation after revealing he would not want his future son or daughter to follow him into professional football, describing the sport as a demanding and unforgiving environment.
The 19-year-old Brazilian, currently on loan at Lyon from Real Madrid, made the candid admission in an interview with The Guardian, offering a rare and honest account of the emotional weight that comes with life at the highest level of the game.
“I hope he or she becomes a great person, a great human being. And that he sees me off the pitch as a normal person, not as Endrick the footballer,” the forward said. “Football isn’t a nice place. It’s a very tough environment. I hope he or she becomes a lawyer, a doctor or anything else, and can be happy in his own world.”
Endrick pointed to the pressures of social media scrutiny, public criticism, and the psychological impact of injury as key factors behind his outlook. His comments arrive at a particularly significant moment in his personal life — the forward and his 24-year-old wife, Gabriely Miranda, are expecting their first child.
A serious injury earlier in his career left a lasting mark on the young attacker. Reflecting on that period, Endrick described the fear and uncertainty that came with being sidelined. “I had a complicated injury and lost a lot of time. It kept me away from many matches, training and work. I couldn’t compete. When you get injured, you lose everything. You lose the chance to fight for a place. These are things beyond my control.”
The emotional toll extended beyond the physical setback. “I was really afraid. I cried several times. That’s something you do in private. I didn’t know how to deal with my injury, what to expect. You don’t know if you’ll have a relapse, if you’ll keep your strength, if you’ll come back weaker,” he continued. “That affects you a lot. You get scared of the future. But I knew I had to keep going. If I’d had another injury, I’d have gone through the whole process again. I knew that when I came back, I’d have to give it my best.”
Endrick joined Real Madrid in the summer of 2024 after a standout spell at Brazilian club Palmeiras, where he established himself as one of South America’s most exciting young talents. He joined Lyon on loan during the 2025–26 season to secure regular playing time, having faced limited opportunities at the Spanish giants.
Despite his youth, Endrick has already earned senior international recognition with the Brazilian national team and carries significant expectations heading into a critical phase of his development. His candour regarding the sport’s hidden pressures is notable given his profile and age, and adds to a growing conversation around mental health and wellbeing in elite football.
The comments were widely circulated on social media, including by transfer journalist Fabrizio Romano, underscoring the reach and impact of Endrick’s remarks beyond traditional sports media circles.
