'Perfect night' for Chelsea as 'exciting' Estevao gives glimpse of future

Estevao Willian could hardly have introduced himself to Chelsea in a better way.

When the 18-year-old Brazilian smashed home an equaliser for Palmeiras against the Blues from an almost impossible angle on Saturday - Chelsea fans could have been forgiven for feeling a little bit excited.

Yes, he had just equalised against their side in the Club World Cup quarter-final but it was also a thrilling glimpse of the talent Chelsea have signed in a deal that could eventually be worth £52m.

A late Palmeiras own goal meant it was ultimately Chelsea looking forward to a semi-final against Fluminense, but Estevao's last game for the Brazilians was certainly a memorable one.

The Blues beat the likes of Bayern Munich, Paris St-Germain and Manchester City to sign the Palmeiras wonderkid last summer - before allowing him to stay in Brazil last season and to play for the Brazilians in this summer's Club World Cup.

And, while they may have been regretting that decision as his direct running and silky skills tormented them in Philadelphia, anyone connected with Chelsea can't fail but to be excited by what they saw.

Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca said: "Happy because we won and also happy because Estevao scored, the perfect night.

"He is very good, a huge talent, fantastic player. The only thing is when you come from South America or another part of the world is that you need to adapt.

"We are going to help him to adapt, be happy and enjoy football. We have no doubt he will be an important player for Chelsea."

The forward was a constant threat down Palmeiras's right, had the most touches in Chelsea's box for his side (8), and was awarded man of the match for his display.

Blues midfielder Cole Palmer, who was pictured talking to him after the final whistle, added: "You can see he is a top player, so it is very exciting.

"I just said we are excited for you to join, but he didn't understand a single word I said."

Estevao and Palmeiras manager Abel Ferreira were tearful at the post-match press conference as they reflected on their time together.

Ferreira said: "I spoke before with Maresca and told him 'you bought an amazing player but more than this you bought an amazing person'.

"You need to take care of him. You need to embrace him and in the beginning for sure he will make mistakes. Like you saw today he is an amazing player with a lot of skill. He is a player who can win a game alone."

Estevao, said: "Palmeiras opened the door for me. I was deeply happy in Palmeiras and my family knows how happy I was.

"I'm very happy I could score a goal to help my club unfortunately this wasn't the result we wanted but we gave our best on the pitch and now I am moving on."

Other Brazilian teenagers such as Vinicius Jr and Rodrygo left for Europe at the same age for huge fees.

They've both proved themselves already on the big stages since then. But none of them were as hyped as Estevao when they first moved abroad.

There's a feeling in Brazil that the boy from the countryside of Sao Paulo may be something else, the kind of player that comes along once a decade and seems destined to the very top.

"Estevao is the best player to have emerged from Brazilian football since Neymar. You watch him and you fall in love," the head of Palmeiras' academy, Joao Paulo Sampaio, told BBC Sport.

"He already impresses with his technique but, like Neymar at this same point in his career, he has not yet matured physically and is not as strong as Endrick, so he could still develop a lot. That's what amazes everyone and makes them think that he will reach a much higher level."

Estevao is a member of the so-called "geracao do bilhao" - a generation of players that also includes Real Madrid's Endrick and West Ham's Luis Guilherme and with whom Palmeiras expected to make 1bn Brazilian Real (around £152m).

All three have been making waves since they were kids - Estevao himself was only 10 the first time Palmeiras tried to lure him to their academy, but failed to match an offer reportedly 10 times higher from Cruzeiro.

He then became the youngest Brazilian footballer to sign a contract with Nike, surpassing Neymar (13) and Rodrygo (11), and was dubbed 'Messinho' (little Messi) for his ability to change direction and dribble past opponents while running with the ball at speed.

It hardly came as a surprise to those who had been following him when Spanish newspaper AS said during the 2023 U-17 World Cup that "Brazil have a new genius".

Despite the similarities with Lionel Messi, Estevao has stated he doesn't want to be called 'Messinho' anymore.

It's not only his left foot that leaves others fascinated, but also the mentality he already possesses. Sampaio recalls an episode that illustrated that.

"When we won the 2022 U-17 Brazilian Championship title, Estevao ended up breaking one of his toes during a decisive game," he said.

"But even so he still didn't want to leave [the game], so he came to me at half-time saying, 'I'll go back for the second half'. And I challenged him: 'You better go back.' And so he had a painkilling injection in his toe and told me, 'I'll go back, score a goal and look for you in the stands to shush you.' That's how strong he is mentally."

A right winger who can also play as number 10, Estevao has always been treated differently.

He was still five months away from being able to sign his first senior contract at the age of 16 when Palmeiras, in an unusual move, announced they had agreed the terms of it.

His decision to choose Chelsea as the next step in his career has been questioned back home, due to the confusing situation of the English club and their recent record with young Brazilians such as Andrey Santos, Deivid Washington and Angelo Gabriel.

Estevao's staff has told BBC Sport they have no concerns whatsoever about it and added they believe a transfer to West London will give him a chance to break into the team more quickly compared to other clubs.

With the 2026 World Cup as his main goal, the plan is to hit the ground running at Stamford Bridge once he arrives.

"I would say that with Estevao it's not a matter of whether this place is easier or not because he's the kind of player that just goes there and gets things done. When you are an extra-class like him, that's how you do it," Sampaio concluded.