In the sport of football, few numbers are as iconic as the #9. Countless legends have worn the number on their back and have etched their name in the history books of the sport. Players like Gerd Muller, Marco van Basten, R9, and Robert Lewandowski have all made themselves legends with the #9 shirt.
When it comes to a club like Real Madrid, there are few clubs who have had as many legends wear the #9 shirt. Players like Alfredo Di Stefano, R9, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Karim Benzema have all had the honor of wearing the #9 shirt for Los Blancos.
Real's most recent #9 was none other than Kylian Mbappe. The Frenchman wore it for his first season at the club and had a fantastic season, registering 49 goal contributions. However, with Mbappe switching numbers, one Real Madrid player is in line to be Real's new #9, but the question is, is he ready for it?
Real Madrid teenager in line for #9 shirt, adding more pressure on shoulders
As being reported by Diario AS, Endrick is currently the favorite to enharent the #9 shirt after Kylian Mbappe switched to #10 following Luka Modric's departure. The report also mentions that if Endrick does switch numbers, the newly arriving Franco Mastantuono will get Endrick's #16 shirt.
While it is tradition for the team's striker to wear the #9 shirt, this could end up being an absurd and risky decision for Endrick. The teenager is already under immense pressure to perform at Real Madrid, and adding on top of that the pressure that comes with the jersey number, and it could be too much pressure for the Brazilian to handle.
Endrick's first season at the club was underwhelming given the amount of hype he was receiving after he signed. While he did score in each of his La Liga, Champions League, and Copa del Rey debuts, he struggled to get regular gametime behind Vinicius Jr, Kylian Mbappe, and Rodrygo as well as struggling with injuries.
The Brazilian is currently sidelined after suffering a setback in his recovery from a hamstring injury and isn't expected to be back until mid-september. Although he is sidelined, when he returns it's expected he returns as Real Madrid's new #9.