Last updated on June 16, 2025
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Estevao has already played 32 games this season and scored 11 goals.
Image credit: Elvis Tunde
Chelsea fans are excited to see their new rising star, Estevao Willian.
But even though he has signed with the club, he won’t be playing for Chelsea just yet.
Estevao, an 18-year-old winger from Brazil, signed with Chelsea in May 2024 for £29 million.
However, his current team, Palmeiras, added a special rule to the deal: Estevao will finish the FIFA Club World Cup with them before officially joining Chelsea later this summer.
The tournament is happening in the United States, and while Chelsea and Palmeiras are in different groups, they could face each other in the quarter-finals.
A Special Player
Brazil’s new coach, Carlo Ancelotti, said Estevao is a special talent and a humble person.
He recently gave Estevao his first international start for Brazil against Ecuador.
Former Chelsea and Brazil player Willian compared Estevao to Spain’s young star Lamine Yamal and said he hopes Estevao will score lots of goals for Chelsea.
Estevao has already played 32 games this season and scored 11 goals. Many people believe he could become one of the best players in the world.
‘The Best Since Neymar’
Palmeiras coach Abel Ferreira, who usually keeps his cool, couldn’t stop praising Estevao after a match last year.
Estevao had scored the winning goal and played amazingly well, even though he was only 17 at the time.
Ferreira tried to stop the club from selling Estevao, but it was too late.
Chelsea beat big teams like Bayern Munich, PSG, and Manchester City to sign him.
The deal could rise to £52 million depending on how well he does.
In Brazil, fans and experts are saying Estevao could be the biggest football talent to come from the country since Neymar.
Joao Paulo Sampaio, head of Palmeiras’ youth academy, said watching Estevao play makes you fall in love with football again.
Sampaio also pointed out that Estevao still needs to get stronger physically but already has amazing skills.
This means there’s still room for him to grow and get even better.
From ‘Messinho’ to Estevao
Estevao used to be called ‘Messinho’ (Little Messi) because of his amazing dribbling and quick movements, just like Lionel Messi.
But now, he doesn’t like that nickname anymore. He wants to be known for who he is.
He started getting noticed at a very young age. When he was 10, Palmeiras tried to sign him but lost out to another club, Cruzeiro.
He later became the youngest Brazilian to sign a deal with Nike—even younger than Neymar and Rodrygo were when they signed.
He also showed how strong his mind is. In one match, he broke his toe but still wanted to play.
After getting a painkiller, he came back in the second half, scored, and dedicated the goal to his coach.
That shows how determined and brave he is.
Choosing Chelsea
Estevao can play on the right wing or as an attacking midfielder (number 10).
Palmeiras signed a senior contract with him before he even turned 16—something very rare.
Some people in Brazil wondered if Chelsea was the right choice for him.
The club hasn’t had much success with young Brazilians lately, like Andrey Santos or Angelo Gabriel.
But Estevao and his team aren’t worried. They think Chelsea is the perfect place for him to start strong and play more often.
He wants to impress quickly, especially with the 2026 World Cup coming up. His coach Sampaio believes Estevao has what it takes to succeed anywhere.
“When you’re as good as Estevao, you just go out and do it,” Sampaio said.
