by Maria Strada
They faced each other for the first time “as adults” with the national team. And they will liven up the comparisons between Real and Barça of the future: Yamal already plays in Catalonia, Endrick is about to land in the Spanish capital
The appointment is for 9pm on 21 April 2024. On the 32nd day of the Spanish La Liga, the Santiago Bernabeu will feature Real Madrid-Barcelona, the top match of the Spanish championship. That is to say, the return Clásico, in which the Catalans will seek revenge after the heavy 1-2 suffered at the Olimpico Lluis Companys in October, under the eyes of Mick Jagger.
Among the most anticipated of the match will be Jude Bellingham, author of a brace in the first match, but it will also be a “last time” destined to remain in history. Because from the next Clásico, on some date of the 2024-2025 season, a new great rivalry will start after the one between Cristiano Ronaldo in the white shirt and Leo Messi in the blue shirt.
Then there will in fact be – and in Spain they are already anticipating it – the one between the talent of Brazil and Real Endrick, who will turn 18 on 21 July, and Lamine Yamal, the promise of Spain and Barça, who will turn 17 a week earlier. Two teenagers who have been talked about for a long time despite their young age: the first was purchased by Real Madrid for 60 million when he was just 16 years old; the second just under a year ago became the youngest Barcelona player to make his league debut, at just 15 years and 290 days. And he has a release clause of one billion euros, an unheard of figure.
It is not possible to enjoy this championship match between the two now – but the appetizer was on Tuesday, and precisely at the Bernabeu, in the friendly between Spain and Brazil which ended 3-3 with the South American scoring -, because Endrick will be able to join to the team coached by Carlo Ancelotti only when he came of age, therefore next season, and is currently playing for his Palmeiras (2 goals in 6 appearances this year) and for the national team (before Spain, he scored the decisive goal at Wembley against England).
When the two were born, just before and just after the 2006-2007 season, Real Madrid had won the scudetto (but CR7 was in Manchester) and Messi had already scored 14 goals for Barcelona, but he was only 19 years old and two seasons away from his first Ballon d’Or. In the end those two Ballon d’Or winners collected 13 (8 for the Argentine, 5 for the Portuguese). Who knows how many Endrick and Yamal will collect, because this seems to be exactly what fate seems like. And the rivalry, in Spain and probably also at the World Cup, will probably be similar.
Meanwhile, we began to see the youth in power on Tuesday. Endrick has, as mentioned, scored his second goal for the national team. Two like those signed by Yamal, in total. The first in 4 appearances, the second in 6. But the first also plays regularly in the Under 23s, the Spaniard instead directly skipped the Under 21 and Olimpica step (and has only one appearance with the Under 19s). At the Bernabeu Yamal didn’t score, but he got the penalty which Rodrigo then converted. Protagonists. Right away.
So young, so decisive. And the best is yet to come. A cartoon, years ago, contained the exclamation “Power to the little ones!”. If the “little ones” are all like this, the future (of Real Madrid, Barcelona and La Liga) is beautiful. And audiences around the world can’t help but enjoy it too.
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March 28, 2024 (modified March 28, 2024 | 2:12 pm)
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2024-03-28 13:00:01
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