Belo Horizonte was always a long way from home for Estevao Willian. Born a day’s travel away in Franca, Sao Paulo, the dusty journey across dense forest and up into the mountains was one his father Ivo could little afford.
At age nine, his family made it nonetheless. Cruzeiro’s academy was to be found in the region of Brazil’s abundant gold mines, a fitting beginning for the forging of one of the world’s most promising footballers.
The son of a goalkeeper turned Christian pastor, the young Estevao’s parents also set great store in a prophecy that he would bring them great success. When not playing football, he could be found reading the Bible, or playing the drums in church.
“My faith is everything – it’s fundamental to my career,” Estevao explains to The i Paper.
“It’s faith that allows me to get through the challenging moments, the highs and the lows, to try new things and excel in my career and give me the confidence to excel even more.”
‘A boy who listens’
But the biggest impression Estevao made was with his consistency.
“From his very first day, Estevao never ‘picked and chose’ games,” Joao Paulo Sampaio, Palmeiras’ youth academy director tells The i Paper.
“He always showed the desire to play and give his best, even when he was feeling pain. A player with that kind of hunger has everything needed to build a successful career, because he truly loves what he does and enjoys himself on the pitch. He’s also a boy who is always open to listening to advice from the people around him in order to develop as an athlete – that makes all the difference.”
Sao Paulo to Stamford Bridge
Some of the most important aspects of his technical evolution and positioning took place at the club.
Sampaio would watch as he refined aspects of his game, such as the use of his right foot – he played in every role across the attacking system.
“Because of his characteristics, he tends to feel more comfortable when receiving the ball on the right and drifting inside. He’s a player who can make a difference on the wing, but he can’t be stuck to the touchline – he needs the freedom to move into central areas of the pitch.”
At Stamford Bridge he has settled quickly with the help of a small Brazilian contingent. Joao Pedro is another boy from Sao Paulo, while Andrey Santos comes from Rio de Janeiro. Before his departure in 2025 Thiago Silva was also instrumental in persuading him to join.
“They were very important to me, for my adaptation,” Estevao says. “Because they already spoke English, they had already had a good time in England. The Brazilians, they always have a desire.
“It’s been really important for me to have that community of Brazilian players. They’ve allowed me to settle in quicker than I expected and they’ve been figureheads for me, almost like family members for me here in England in a new space.”
With the national side he is under the stewardship of Carlo Ancelotti, whose reputation for coaching Brazilian legends of the game predates his managerial stint with the Selecao: Kaka, Ronaldo, Rivaldo, Vinicius Jr.
A very modern Chelsea signing
It was Ancelotti who permitted Estevao time off from the national camp to go and get his driving license before his big move to England.
The food in London? “Interesting”. The weather: “cold”, but he is “lapping up the experience” of a new country where he is among the favourites to win Young Player of the Year in his first season, having already won the same accolade at the London Football Awards.
So far he has registered eight goals and two assists in all competitions. It is the nature of them that has caught the eye. Against Crystal Palace, he received the ball well into his own half and held off Tyrick Mitchell for the length of the remaining 70 yards.
In the 3-0 Champions League win over Barcelona, he was involved in the build-up before beating Pau Cubarsi wide and then wriggling past Alejandro Balde to score. He then sank to his knees, echoing one of his favourite Bible verses, Proverbs 22:4, which encourages “humility and fear of the Lord”.
Because of his age the obvious comparison he usually draws is with Barcelona’s Lamine Yamal. Back home Estevao refused to accept the nickname Messinho (little Messi) because he did not want to be likened to any individual player – though he models himself on Brazilian greats, whom he watches on YouTube.
Surpassing Neymar
“It’s always good to look at big players like Neymar,” he says. “I know I have to improve and I watch them playing a lot, so I’m sure I use them in my game too. These more experienced Brazilian players have been fundamental for me in my experience because I still watch them intently in their games. And that gives me not only the motivation but it gives me new ideas.
“It’s always a learning for me to improve my game so I’m always looking at them as role models and those who can teach me more while I’m learning in Chelsea.”
In his final year at Palmeiras, the teenager broke a long-standing Neymar record, becoming the first player under 18 to achieve 20 goal involvements in one Brazilian Serie A campaign. At Chelsea his starts have been more limited (17 in all competitions) but he is still having more attempts on goal than any other player.
“My family members and my faith have given me that confidence,” Estevao adds. “‘I’m surprised myself that I’ve done it so quickly, but I felt I was ready as soon as I came in. And I’m so thankful to God for everything He did, for everything I went through.”
The rise of Estevao should not come as a surprise to anyone else. The Brazilian league itself has evolved beyond recognition, its biggest clubs enjoying more financial muscle than ever.
“The competition still preserves the essence of Brazilian football,” Sampaio insists. “Especially in terms of allowing talented players to express themselves through dribbling and creative plays. It’s an excellent school before making the move to European clubs.”
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That has put Estevao on course to become Franca’s most successful export, perhaps barring the city’s famous Arabica coffee.
Injury-dependent, Ancelotti has already promised him a place at the World Cup. The No 9 spot may be up for grabs but Estevao has made the right prong of Brazil’s attack his own.
It would be a remarkable end to another breakthrough season.
