41. Estêvão Willian

[IMissEden 21]

And just like that 

 

[IMissEden 21]

That said yes one of his assists himself last night, was awful. Commenting now cause just seen Goldberg and co on twitter going OMG WHAT AN ESTEVAO ASSIST. They do not understand the disparity between leagues at all. Shouldn’t have been an assist, should have been a turnover to the other team, it was very sloppy execution from Estevao and any top 5 league would have tackled him 5 metres prior. To balance the view i guess 

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Chelsea signing Estevao Willian could break Ronaldo Nazario record after first Brazil call-up

https://www.thechelseachronicle.com/news/Chelsea-signing-estevao-willian-could-break-ronaldo-nazario-record-after-first-brazil-call-up/

 

Chelsea supporters will be super excited to hear this week that Estevao Willian has received his maiden call-up to Brazil’s senior squad.

Brazil announced on Friday that Estevao Willian, who’s aged just 17, will join the senior Brazil group for World Cup qualifiers against Ecuador and Paraguay in September.

Chelsea confirmed back in June that they’ve agreed to sign Estevao from Palmeiras, with the deal officially going through next summer. In the meantime, the teenage attacker is shining in the Palmeiras first team and enhancing his reputation.

Speaking via Rio Ferdinand’s YouTube channel this month, journalist David Ornstein shared that he’s been told by experts that Chelsea have signed a ‘generational talent’ in Estevao. His inclusion in the main Brazil squad at such a young age certainly suggests that could be true.

Estevao Willian could break Ronaldo Nazario record

The history of Brazilian football is rich and includes so much heritage, with countless world-class players wearing the famous yellow jersey on the international stage. There’s no doubt that Ronaldo Nazario is one of the best to do so.

Ronaldo, who’s now 47 and retired, had an extraordinary career at both club and international level. For Brazil, he burst onto the scene as a 17-year-old superstar and ended up with 62 goals in 99 caps for the South American giants.

Globo Eesporte has highlighted that Chelsea-bound youngster Estevao now has the opportunity to break a Ronaldo record next month.

If Estevao makes his debut in September, he’ll do so at an earlier age than Brazilian icon Ronaldo. Similarly, he’d have the chance to score at a younger age than him.

Brazil’s youngest debutants

• Pelé: 16 years and 257 days (1957)
• Edu: 16 years and 303 days (1966)
• Coutinho: 17 years and 28 days (1960)
• Endrick: 17 years and 118 days (2023)
• Walter: 17 years and 136 days (1931)
• Ronaldo: 17 years and 186 days (1994)

Estevao will be 17 years and 135 days old in the game against Ecuador, and 17 years and 139 days old in the match against Paraguay.

Brazil’s youngest goalscorers

• Pelé: 16 years and 257 days (1957)
• Edu: 16 years and 306 days (1966)
• Ronaldo: 17 years and 228 days (1994)
• Endrick: 17 years and 246 days (2024)
• Coutinho: 17 years and 323 days (1961)

Excitement building around Estevao Willian

There’s no doubt that the excitement within the Chelsea fanbase around Estevao is growing every day. In fact, some may even feel like his £51m signing (The Independent) will eventually turn into a bargain further down the line.

For now, the talented right-winger will be best served keeping his head down at Palmeiras and working hard on his development.

He’s become a regular starter now for the Brazilian top-flight club. The attacker has played 34 senior matches for them so far, scoring seven goals and making six assists.

His recognition by the Brazilian national team is a huge indicator of where his game is currently at, so his arrival at Stamford Bridge in 2025 can’t come soon enough.

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VIDEO: The emotional moment Chelsea-bound Palmeiras sensation Estevao Willian discovered he'd been called up to the Brazil squad for the first time

Chelsea-bound Estevao Willian and his family got emotional after the player got his maiden Brazil national team call-up.

https://www.instagram.com/reel/C_BGyEvxdDz/?utm_source=ig_embed

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wicked goal

 

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Chelsea's shock 'plan' to integrate Estevao in 2025

• Chelsea have agreed £51m deal to sign Estevao
• 17-year-old to join up with Blues next summer
• Winger set to play in central role at Stamford Bridge

https://www.90min.com/Chelsea-shock-plan-to-integrate-estevao-in-2025

Chelsea will utilise Estevao as an attacking midfielder rather than a winger when he joins up with the first-team squad next year, a report has claimed.

The Blues have agreed a total package worth up to £51m to sign the young starlet from Palmeiras, and he will head to west London in the summer of 2025 after he turns 18.

Nicknamed 'Messinho' due to his similarities with Lionel Messi, Estevao is widely considered one of the world's leading talents, and he has made his name as a right winger.

However, Brazilian outlet UOL claim Chelsea have other ideas for Estevao, who they see as a No. 10.

The club believe this will allow him to get on the ball more often and drift out wide as he sees fit, giving him more creative licence as soon as he arrives at Stamford Bridge.

At present, Cole Palmer is Chelsea's starting attacking midfielder. Palmer has proven to be one of the Blues' most successful signings since he arrived from Manchester City last summer, taking home the PFA Young Player of the Year award and receiving a Ballon d'Or nomination.

Estevao has great admiration for Palmer and has mimicked his signature 'cold' celebration at Palmeiras.

Meanwhile, Estevao's agent, Andre Cury, has spoken of Chelsea's plan to bring his client into their starting lineup.

"He adapts to any style of play. Chelsea is a club that sees Estevao playing as a No. 10, and that is important. He can develop even more playing in the middle," he said.

Estevao made his Brazil debut in Friday night's 1-0 win at home to Ecuador, in which he came up against future Chelsea teammate Kendry Paez.

 

 

 

[ZAPHOD2319 4,814]

 

[TheHulk 2,437]

3 minutes ago, ZAPHOD2319 said:

 

I'm just glad we got him, this guy will be the bomb when he comes and settles in.

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‘Got a bit angry’ – Why fuming Alisson Becker told off new Chelsea signing in training

https://www.empireofthekop.com/2024/10/13/alisson-becker-estevao-willian-angry/

Estevao Willian is hoping to make Alisson Becker’s life a little difficult in the Premier League next year.

The 17-year-old will have to hope that his international teammate is back fully fit amid persistent injury concerns, however, after the Liverpool No.1 was recently ruled out with a hamstring injury.

At the very least, it seems unlikely that the 32-year-old ‘keeper will be making his way out of Anfield next summer in light of such troubling fitness concerns.

However, the Reds’ shotstopper will have to wait until the 2025/26 season by which point Chelsea’s £29m signing will have linked up with his new teammates at Chelsea.

Estevao made Alisson Becker angry during Brazil training

Alisson Becker was initially not best pleased with his compatriot’s behaviour during their prior involvement with the Brazil national side.

Estevao admitted he irked the Liverpool goalkeeper by firing shots at him whilst the 32-year-old warmed up.

Truth be told, it seems to be just a minor tiff in training and clearly an issue that has been swiftly, and rightfully, shoved under the rug.

“In shooting training, I started to hit all the shots and Alisson got a bit angry. He said he was still warming up, that I should wait a little bit. But I took it a bit seriously and scored many goals [against] him,” the Palmeiras wonderkid told The Guardian.

“He took it all in jest, but I hope that next year I can do again against him in [Premier League] matches. We’ll see a lot of each other in England.”

When will Alisson Becker be back from injury?

We understand that the former Roma star is set to miss a minimum of seven games in the upcoming action-packed calendar.

Paul Joyce’s injury update on Alisson was a little pessimistic on that front, suggesting it was entirely possible the footballer could miss further games beyond that point. This would, of course, be of great concern to Arne Slot and not least of all due to the fact we’re set to host Real Madrid in the Champions League after the November international break.

We’ll be keeping our fingers crossed for a swift recovery. Though, thankfully, in the meantime, we’re blessed to have high-quality cover in the form of Caoimhin Kelleher.

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Estêvão: ‘Cole Palmer told me we would do great things together at Chelsea’

https://www.theguardian.com/football/2024/oct/12/estevao-cole-palmer-told-me-we-would-do-great-things-together-at-Chelsea

 

In an exclusive interview the Brazilian teenage sensation talks about moving to London next summer and his aim to become the best footballer in the world

Estêvão didn’t think twice about how to celebrate his move to Chelsea. As soon as he had signed from Palmeiras in a deal that could top £51m, the Brazilian decided to honour Cole Palmer and usher in what could be a new era for the English club.

“When I signed for Chelsea, the next day I scored a goal and celebrated like Palmer. His celebration was trend, very popular,” says Estêvão before discussing his first interaction with the England forward. “We talked on social media, I tagged him on Instagram, he called me a star, I said he’s a star too. He said we’re going to do a lot of great things together for Chelsea.”

Palmer’s promise to his future teammate may come as a surprise to many, but not to those who have been following Estêvão’s progress in Brazil. At the age of 17 he is the country’s most exciting young talent since Neymar.

In addition to his performances, which have been described as superior to those of Vinícius Júnior and Endrick at the same age, the prodigy also exhibits less exotic behaviour than his predecessors, who have adopted a more public profile surrounded by celebrities.

Big names in the Brazil national team have also been impressed by Estêvão. Called up for the first time recently for the games against Ecuador and Paraguay, which Brazil won and lost 1-0 respectively, he presented his calling card to the country’s No 1 goalkeeper. “In shooting training, I started to hit all the shots and Alisson got a bit angry. He said he was still warming up, that I should wait a little bit. But I took it a bit seriously and scored many goals [against] him,” Estêvão laughs. “He took it all in jest, but I hope that next year I can do again against him in [Premier League] matches. We’ll see a lot of each other in England.”

Estêvão used his talent to overcome his nervousness over being called up to his country’s senior ranks. “The first few days you get nervous, there’s no way round it. You get more shy, but then you start to get more intimate and chat to the guys in training,” he says. “This helps a lot because on the pitch you show that you have potential and why you’re there. Then it becomes easier and they start to accept you.”

At the same time as having to deal with the stars of world football, Estêvão also has teenage things to attend to, such as schoolwork, which he considers even more difficult than his football opponents. “School is the rest of my day. It’s not easy,” he beams. “There are some very difficult subjects. Physics is the hardest. It’s very difficult to remember the formulas, how to work it out.”

Since the beginning of the year, Estêvão has been taking online classes because of Palmeiras’ training and match schedule. When he moves to Chelsea next year, he will need to maintain his school routine. “I will study in London as well,” Estêvão says. “But I will continue at the same school, I will continue studying online, like nowadays.”

Despite not being an exemplary student, Estêvão misses going to school and socialising with people his own age. “At Palmeiras, I end up seeing the same person every day. When you’re at school, you see lots of different students, your class is always changing, new people are joining the school,” he says. “You have your best friend there. I miss that. At school there are people with the same age as me too. At football, they are older, more experienced people. Everyone treats me well, but it’s different.”

The move to London will be the fourth of Estêvão’s life. Born in Franca, in the countryside of São Paulo, he moved to Belo Horizonte at the age of eight to play for Cruzeiro. From a poor background, he remembers the difficulties of that time and compares them to going to London.

“The hardest move was from Franca to Belo Horizonte,” he says. “It was the first time, I was very young, it meant being away from my family, the people I liked, school. It was a very different environment, a very different time. The journey was very difficult. I remember we managed to get the whole move in a van and a lorry came behind. It was a big struggle. Now London will be easier. You don’t have to take things in the van, you can buy everything there.”

Estêvão has been dealing with fame since the age of 10, when he was featured in a television report. The appearance brought him into the national spotlight and led to the signing of his first contract with a sports equipment company. That deal also raised doubts about his future, with many fearing Estêvão’s early fame would hinder his rise. “It all happened very quickly, but my parents helped me a lot,” he says “They shielded me from everything that came from outside. I never had much contact with what was going on, what people were saying or thinking about it. I’m very grateful to my parents for everything they did for me because that shielding was very important.

“My father [Ivo] helps me more on the pitch, my mother [Hetiene] helps me off it. She helped me understand things about the day, life, the importance of eating well and to adapt to each new place. We’ve moved around a lot. She’s always done everything for me. Can you imagine leaving home, being away from your parents, to build a dream with me like my mum did? My mum plays a fundamental role in my life. She’s the one who charges me on a daily basis and helps me understand life better.”

Raised in a deeply religious environment, Estêvão learned to play the drums in church and uses music to help him concentrate and relax before matches. “I learned to play the drums when I was about six, seven years old,” he says. “I saw a friend of my father’s playing in church and I started to like it. Music helps me a lot. I grew up in church, I listen to a lot of gospel music. I always listen to it before matches. But I listen to my own music, if I listen to my mates’ music, I’m lost. The guys like really dirty music.”

For many years, Estêvão has been dubbed Messinho: “Little Messi”. It is a label and comparison that bothers the Brazilian but he admits the Argentinian is his great inspiration. “I like Neymar a lot too, Cristiano Ronaldo. But my reference is [Lionel] Messi for everything he’s done for football,” Estêvão says. “The way he plays and what he does off the pitch is a guy I always have to look up to. And, of course, for me being left-footed like him favours as well.

“Some people are born with talent, others have to work hard. Good examples are Messi and Ronaldo. Messi has the talent, Ronaldo the effort. I look for both. Talent and dedication. Today in football you have to dedicate yourself, you have to keep to a schedule, train, travel, take care of yourself. You have to give up a lot. Without dedication you can’t get anywhere.”

Estêvão can emphasise the importance of effort, but quality makes the difference. He is proof of that. “I started out as a goalkeeper because my father was a goalkeeper,” says Estêvão.

“I used to go to games with him, the games were on dirt pitches. I saw him playing a lot. I liked watching him and then I started to like it, I wanted to be a goalkeeper because of him, but later I decided to play on the line. It was a good decision to have switched positions, otherwise I certainly wouldn’t be where I am today.”

Coveted by many big clubs in European football, Estêvão opted for Chelsea and is looking forward to joining them ahead of next season. “I decided for Chelsea because of their planning. I was very pleased with that,” he says. “Not just for me, but also for my family. It was the club that believed in me and trusted in my work. I hope I can pay that back.”

One of the plans offered to Estêvão was the chance to play as a No 10, the position in which he played at youth level, rather than as a right winger, whereas he has appeared for Palmeiras and the Brazil national team.

Does he worry, however, that he will not prove a success at Stamford Bridge, as was the case for Kevin De Bruyne, Mohamed Salah and Romelu Lukaku? “That doesn’t worry me because each one is different,” he says. “I don’t know the context or what they were like. I’m going to have to find my space and I’m going to have to give my all effort every day.”

Estêvão is still so young but having achieved so much already he has a clear mind with regards to his future, not to mention big ambitions. “I want to win titles and show all my potential, show everything I can do,” he says. “Champion of the World Cup, Premier League and Champions League. That’s what I want.

“My biggest dream is to be the best player in the world. That’s my dream. One day I’ll be among the best. But I’m not going to promise or project that I’ll achieve this in a few years. It’ll come naturally.”

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Estevao explains why he joined Chelsea over Barcelona

• Chelsea confirmed £56m deal to sign Estevao in summer
• Brazil winger to move to Stamford Bridge in 2025
• Teenager confirms reason for choosing Chelsea over Barcelona

https://www.90min.com/estevao-explains-why-joined-Chelsea-barcelona

 

Brazil international Estevao has admitted the project on offer at Chelsea was enough to convince him to join the Blues over fellow suitors Barcelona.

In the summer, Chelsea confirmed they had struck a £56m deal to sign 17-year-old Estevao at the end of the 2024/25 season, with Stamford Bridge officials keen to do whatever it took to fend off interest from some of the world's top sides to sign a player who many see as a future Ballon d'Or winner.

In 23 league games for Palmeiras, the winger has racked up nine goals - only two behind league-leader Pedro - while his return of seven assists puts him top of the division's creative charts. Such dazzling form saw him handed a maiden Brazil call-up last month.

Explaining his decision to join Chelsea, Barcelona fan Estevao told PLACAR: "I've always followed Barcelona since I was a little kid, I think more because of [Lionel] Messi and Neymar, who are role models for me. And I’m very happy that other teams are interested in me and my football, but Chelsea's offer was very good.

"My agents talked to my parents and me... it was a very good project that they offered and it has everything to be a success.

"Nothing else needs to be said about Chelsea, being in a spectacular city like London, playing in the strongest league in the world and being among the best. I think even more so now, with a team that is giving opportunities to young people. That really caught my attention and that of my family too. I'm sure we chose the right team."

In a similar interview with The Guardian, Estevao added: "I decided for Chelsea because of their planning. I was very pleased with that. Not just for me, but also for my family. It was the club that believed in me and trusted in my work. I hope I can pay that back."

Among the proposals for Estevao was a switch into a central attacking midfield role, but Chelsea have the unique dilemma of having to find a way to introduce two young stars next summer when Ecuadorian midfielder Kendry Paez completes his own switch to Stamford Bridge.

"When we faced each other in the Libertadores, he had already been signed and I was working out the details," Estevao continued. "But, in this last game for the national team, I met him in Ecuador and our deal was done. We talked a lot there. We talked about English, adaptations that will be difficult, but I think we have everything to make it work and it will be a great experience.

"He came over and asked me how I was feeling. He also said that it was really hard and boring to study English, but that he was learning too. He said he wanted to go there soon, he wanted to have that European experience. I said we'd be there soon. I think we can play together. Even though he plays more centrally today and I play more on the wing, I definitely think we can play together and it will be a good, healthy rivalry."

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• Future Chelsea gem Estevao Willian has broken Neymar’s record for the U-17 with the most goals and assists in a single edition of the Brasileirao! Estevao has completed 18 G/A for Palmeiras this season ahead of moving to Stamford Bridge in July 2025.

[DH1988 1,348]

Some games looks great, some games he looks like he belongs where he is. Understand he's a young lad and we've been guilty of not being patient enough in the past. Interesting to see where he goes on loan eventually, I really hope it's not Ligue 1.

[NikkiCFC 8,318]

2 hours ago, DH1988 said:

Some games looks great, some games he looks like he belongs where he is. Understand he's a young lad and we've been guilty of not being patient enough in the past. Interesting to see where he goes on loan eventually, I really hope it's not Ligue 1.

Loan? He is going nowhere. That's like suggesting Real should loan Vini in 2018 or Barca Neymar in 2013 (although he was older).

[MoroccanBlue 5,381]

Vinicius was supposed to be Hazard's understudy but Hazard got injured which forced Real to play Vinicius. After a couple of poor seasons did he really start to impose himself. 

Think as of now Estevao would come in and be Madueke's understudy. 

[TheHulk 2,437]

32 minutes ago, MoroccanBlue said:

Vinicius was supposed to be Hazard's understudy but Hazard got injured which forced Real to play Vinicius. After a couple of poor seasons did he really start to impose himself. 

Think as of now Estevao would come in and be Madueke's understudy. 

Doni is out to Newcastle in the summer.

[Reddish-Blue 2,503]

1 hour ago, MoroccanBlue said:

Think as of now Estevao would come in and be Madueke's understudy. 

Probably not for long as Madueke doesn't seem to have much consistency.  

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[ZAPHOD2319 4,814]

 

[NikkiCFC 8,318]

They lost title in the end. Botafogo won title and Copa Libertadores.