Two of the great names of the new generation of Brazilian football, Marcos Leonardo and Endrick, are great candidates for the position of ‘number 9’ in the search for the sixth world championship. While the young Palmeiras star is already negotiating with Real Madrid, in a multimillion transfer – 72 million euros (about R$ 409 million), Marcos Leonardo is still negotiating with clubs from the Old Continent.
On the other hand, a comparison between the two players, which ended up including Vitor Roque, from Athletico-PR, moved (and a lot) Brazilian fans on social networks. That’s because Vampeta, a former midfielder for Corinthians and the Brazilian national team, in addition to being an idol of Palmeiras’ biggest rival, nailed which of the three is the best striker, generating different opinions about the former player’s statement.
“I think Marcos Leonardo plays more than Endrick and Vitor Roque. He plays a lot and is on a bad team. If you put Marcos Leonardo as 9 at Palmeiras, he scores 30 goals a year.”, he declared.
« I think Marcos Leonardo plays more than Endrick and Vitor Roque. He plays a lot and is in a bad team. If you put Marcos Leonardo as 9 in Palmeiras, he scores 30 goals a year. »
– Vampeta, in the Reis da Resenha da Jovem Pan.
: Young Panpic.twitter.com/s4yI2P3Jz8
— LIBERTA DEPRE (@liberta___depre) August 24, 2023
About endrick, we can discuss TODAY, about vitor roque, there’s no way, much more resource being 2 years younger
— 5star Tips (@FStartips) August 25, 2023
Curiously, it is even a “possible” opinion. For me, Vitor Roque is better but it’s not absurd at all.
— Will ☆彡 (@willyans_me) August 25, 2023
I think Marcos Leonardo is better than Endrick himself. The kid draws water from a stone in that ridiculous Santos team, Endrick does almost nothing in the Palmeiras selection. Roque has an average team and is flying. I think Vitor Roque is top 1, Marcos is 2nd and Endrick is currently 3rd.
— volleyball dudu (@luisdudu23) August 25, 2023
Not really wrong, I tend to agree with him.
— Marcio (@MarcioThadeu5) August 24, 2023
I don’t think he’s better than Vitor Roque, but I think he’s the best 9 of characteristics in Brazil, for me the 2 fits in the selection, because Vitor Roque plays more freely and Marcos Leonardo plays more calmly
— Raul Ribeiro (@ri_be_iro_) August 25, 2023
30 goals he scores at Santos.
Only this season already has 16 goals with the team being eliminated early in all championships.
He in a structured team has the highest goal average in Brazil.
Next future 9 of the Brazilian selection easy…
— Weslley_Moreir4 (@WMoreir4) August 25, 2023
Marcos Leonardo in a good team, he would be the player sold to Barcelona…
— Roger ᶜʳᶠ (@segueroger27) August 24, 2023
It’s not wrong.
— Thiago Finamore (@thiagofinamore) August 25, 2023
Vitor Roque
Leonardo Marcos
endrickThat’s the order at the moment.
— Marinho Marzo (@MarzoMarinho) August 24, 2023
Numbers of Marcos Leonardo, Endrick and Vitor Roque in 2023
Marco Leonardo – Santos
Even with the negative performance of Alvinegro Praiano, Marcos Leonardo is one of the key players in the team in the 2023 season. ‘ML9’ has 32 games for Peixe, with 2746 minutes played, averaging 16 goals and four assists.
The 20-year-old striker has been among the professionals since 2020, and has defended Santos since the under-13 category, debuting at the club’s base in 2015. Marcos Leonardo’s regularity led to his call-up for the under-23 World Cup, where he played five games and scored five goals, as well as an assist, but ended up being eliminated at the quarterfinal stage by Israel.
Endrick – Palmeiras
Endrick, just 17 years old, has had a shorter time in 2023 under the command of Abel Ferreira. In total, there are 34 games, but only 1543 minutes on the field. Time needed for the striker to score seven goals.
The great promise of Brazilian football rose to the main team last season and scored an incredible 12 goals in 20 matches played, being essential for winning the Brazilian Championship and Super Cup of Brazil. In addition, Endrick was the big name in the unprecedented conquest of the Copa São Paulo de Futebol Júnior, in 2022.
Vitor Roque – Athletico PR
Finally, Vitor Roque has held the position at Athletico-PR since last season. Despite being only 18 years old, the striker has decision-making power as a great characteristic and was fundamental to the campaign that took Hurricane to the final of the last Copa Libertadores.
In 2023, Roque played 39 games for the Paraná team, scoring 18 goals and providing seven assists in the period. The player also won the U-20 South American Championship, and was also present in a call-up for the main Brazilian national team.
The situation of Santos in the Brazilian Championship 2023
One of the most traditional teams in Brazilian football is going through a very complicated situation on the Brasileirão 2023 leaderboard. Santos is in 17th place, fighting against a possible unprecedented relegation.
The performance in the championship has a lot to do with internal problems involving the club’s politics. In the last match, Peixe beat Grêmio by 2-1, in Vila Belmiro, and started the second round with points.
Santos next games
América-MG x Santos, Brasileirão Série A, Belo Horizonte-MG – September 3 (Sunday), 6:30 pm (Brasília time).
Santos x Cruzeiro, Brasileirão Série A, Santos-SP – September 13 (Wednesday), 21:30 (Brasília time).
Bahia x Santos, Brasileirão Série A, Salvador-BA – September 13 (Wednesday), 21:30 (Brasília time).