'I don’t want my son to play football' - Endrick drops bombshell

Endrick Felipe has ignited widespread discussion after admitting he would prefer his future child not to pursue a football career, despite his own meteoric rise in the sport.

The Lyon forward, on loan from Real Madrid, described professional football as a toxic environment with intense pressure, stating it is "not a nice place."

The 19-year-old forward made the candid remarks in an interview with The Guardian, offering a rare glimpse into the emotional and psychological demands of elite football.

He said, “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. 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.

He cited handling social media, criticism, and injuries as contributing factors, reflecting on the pressures of professional football.

He continued, “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.

“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.

"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,” he added.