By Denis Orito

Endrick, the promising young talent, has been assigned the number 16 jersey for his first season at Real Madrid. This number, however, carries a notorious reputation for misfortune over the past decade at the club.

The tale of the number 16’s supposed curse began in the 2010-2011 season with:

1. Sergio Canales – Acquired from Racing Santander, Canales wore the number 16 but had a brief and underwhelming stint. He appeared in just 15 matches, failed to score, and departed after one season.
2. Hamit Altintop – The Turkish midfielder joined Real Madrid from Bayern Munich in 2011 and also wore the number 16. He managed only 12 appearances and scored once before returning to Galatasaray the following summer.
3. Casemiro – In the 2013-2014 season, the young Brazilian switched from the number 38 to 16. Despite showing potential, he played 25 games with only one assist and was loaned out to Porto after a year.
4. Lucas Silva – The Brazilian midfielder, who wore the number 16 briefly, was another player who didn’t live up to expectations. He left on loan to Marseille after just eight months.
5. Mateo Kovacic – The Croatian seemed poised to break the curse, staying for two seasons. However, he did not become a standout player and eventually moved to Chelsea for more regular playing time.
6. James Rodríguez – Upon returning from his loan at Bayern Munich, James wore the number 16. He struggled with consistent playing time and left for Everton after a year.
7. Borja Mayoral – The Spanish forward, back from a loan at Levante, wore the number 16 but featured in only two La Liga matches before moving to Roma.
8. Luka Jovic – The Serbian striker was the most expensive of the lot, joining from Frankfurt for 60 million euros. Unfortunately, he scored only three La Liga goals across three seasons before joining Fiorentina on a free transfer in 2022.

As Endrick takes on the number 16 jersey, fans and analysts alike will be watching closely to see if he can defy the jersey’s ominous legacy.