In April last year, Brazil’s latest wonderkid made his first start. Estêvão was in Palmeiras’ lineup for a Copa Libertadores match against a small Uruguayan side called Liverpool. That night, he offered plenty of hints that in the near future he might be doing battle with a much bigger club of the same name.
That future is fast approaching. Estêvão turned 18 this past April, and once the FIFA Club World Cup concludes, he will cross the Atlantic to join Chelsea.
“It’s a dream come true for me. I’ve always dreamed of playing in Europe alongside the best, playing in important competitions, such as the Champions League and the Premier League,” Estêvão told ESPN Brasil of his upcoming move to Stamford Bridge. “It will be an incredible opportunity to play for one of the biggest clubs in the world, and I hope to get there and adapt as quickly as possible. I want to play. It’s the thing I love doing most, what I enjoy most.”
A great deal has happened to the young man in little more than a year. There had been whispers of his immense promise for some time. Barely an adolescent, he had already been dubbed “Messinho” (“Little Messi”) in the youth ranks of Cruzeiro. He switched to Palmeiras at the age of 14 and helped them win numerous youth titles.
Yet the recent history of Brazilian football is full of prodigies who never make it past potential. Estêvão, however, has transitioned seamlessly from promise to reality. He already has five senior Brazil caps to his name, and his first start came earlier this month away to Ecuador, in Carlo Ancelotti’s debut as national team coach.
“Receiving this affection … this time with him is teaching me a lot. I’m trying to enjoy it and get the most out of it to improve myself, to improve my football and evolve more and more,” Estêvão said of his time with Ancelotti. “This connection with him is very special. He’s a very direct and straightforward guy. He’s also a team player, always with us and talking to us. It’s very special.”
Last year, still short of 18, he finished just two goals behind the top scorer in the Brazilian Serie A, and one moment from the season sums up the progress he has made.
In the penultimate round, Palmeiras needed to win away to Cruzeiro to keep their title hopes alive. In the dying moments of the game, the score was tied at 1-1. An Estêvão dribble earned a free kick just outside the penalty area. He got up to take it himself. It was a crunch moment, and in goal stood the giant, vastly experienced Cássio. As naturally as if he had picked up the ball and placed it in the top corner with his hands, Estêvão scored the goal that kept the title race alive.
It was an extraordinary moment of composure and skill under pressure. And the most striking part? No one was really surprised. The hush that went around the stadium as he stepped up was the anticipation of a crowd half expecting something special. From a 17-year-old who had not started a senior game just months earlier, it was remarkable.
Not long after his senior debut, his coach could hardly contain his excitement. Abel Ferreira had a long playing career in his native Portugal and coached there as well as in Greece before coming to Brazil. During his reign, Palmeiras has produced plenty of young talent such as striker Endrick, who helped win the league title in 2023, scored for the national team at Wembley and the Bernabéu, and has since moved to Real Madrid. But according to Ferreira, Estêvão is on a different level.
The coach tried to contain his enthusiasm in a post-match news conference last May, but it slipped out. “He’s different from anything I’ve ever seen,” he said.
Ferreira was referring both to talent and to mindset. Estêvão is a slightly built left-footer who usually features wide on the right. He moves with remarkable balance and fluidity, changing direction effortlessly at pace. His left foot generates surprising power, whipping through the ball, and he can also go outside and cross with his right. He always seems to have time to pick his options. Most impressively, he has a deep appreciation of space.
On the night of his debut against Liverpool, he scored by ghosting in and heading home at the far post — not the type of goal expected from a player of his build, but one born of vision and instinct.
Ferreira is also struck by Estêvão’s attitude and mental strength. He uses the teenager as an example for other Palmeiras prospects, highlighting how his head never drops when a move breaks down, and how he always trusts his ability to try again.
On that same night, Ferreira made another point. He publicly urged the Palmeiras president not to let Estêvão leave. It made no difference. The deal was soon sealed, with Chelsea paying a reported fee of up to £60 million, though Palmeiras will only release the player after the Club World Cup.
As if Chelsea needed more justification for such a potentially high transfer fee for a teenager, Estêvão was named man of the match in Palmeiras’ 0-0 draw with FC Porto to open their Club World Cup campaign.
His agent, André Cury, recently revealed an intriguing detail. Many top European clubs were interested, but Estêvão chose Chelsea because they appeared most open to deploying him as a No.10 rather than strictly a winger. The tactical fit, then, becomes a question for manager Enzo Maresca: how will Estêvão coexist in the same lineup as Cole Palmer?
That is one for Maresca to solve, but the Premier League can already celebrate the arrival of a genuine Brazilian star-in-the-making. Estêvão is widely considered the biggest talent to emerge from Brazil since Neymar.
Yet there seems to be a conscious effort to shape him differently. Off the field, he maintains a low profile. On the pitch, there are few signs of theatrics or diving.
“I am a very calm person. I don’t have many distractions. I don’t have many things that get in my way,” Estêvão said. “My family is what keeps me focused. I always try to talk to them. That’s what keeps me focused, calm and confident with what I do best, which is playing football. Their support is fundamental for me.”
There is every reason for Chelsea fans to keep a close eye on the Club World Cup. As well as supporting their team, they’ll be getting a first glimpse of a truly special talent headed their way.
>
