Endrick’s hat trick in a 5-2 win at Metz in Ligue 1 on Sunday showed just how shrewd Lyon was to get him on loan from Real Madrid.
The 19-year old Brazil forward, who is widely touted as a future superstar but had struggled for game time in Madrid, has now scored four goals and added an assist in just three games since joining until the end of the season.
Endrick neatly flicked in a cross from captain Corentin Tolisso with his trusted left foot in the 11th minute, then added his second in first-half stoppage time.
After being sent through down the right by Tyler Morton, he cut inside and controlled the ball with both feet before coolly gliding it under goalkeeper Jonathan Fischer, who lay on the ground after being beaten again.
Endrick then won a penalty in the 87th with more neat footwork by switching feet, and converted it himself by wrongfooting Fischer.
The irrepressible Brazilian could have had more goals but Fischer saved a close-range downward header and a low shot.
Central defender Ruben Kluivert, son of former Netherlands and Barcelona forward Patrick Kluivert, and Morton got the other goals as Lyon maintained fourth place.
In other Ligue 1 action, forward Mohamed-Ali Cho downed Nantes with two goals as Nice won 4-1 to secure its first Ligue 1 victory since Oct. 29.
Cho took his tally to five goals overall this season. He burst onto the scene in 2021 as a 16-year-old with Angers when he became the youngest player in France to sign a professional contract.
Midfielders Sofiane Diop and Tom Louchet also scored for Nice, while Egypt striker Mostafa Mohamed replied for home side Nantes.
Nice coach Claude Puel has lost only once in five games since replacing Franck Haise amid huge tensions and a nine-game losing run.
Puel’s disciplinarian approach offers a reassuring presence at a difficult time for Nice, which has been backed by British billionaire Jim Ratcliffe’s chemical giant Ineos since 2019.
Puel is in his second spell in charge of Nice. He also coached the side from 2012-16, during which time he galvanized the flagging career of former teen prodigy Hatem Ben Arfa.
Toulouse won 2-0 at Brest with goals from striker Yann Gboho and midfielder Pape Demba Diop, while Paris FC was held at home 0-0 by Angers.
Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.
