Estevao Willian gave Chelsea supporters a glimpse of what to expect, scoring his final goal for Palmeiras – and Enzo Maresca has already been given advice on how to unlock his potential at Stamford Bridge.
The 18-year-old has played his final game for the Brazilian giants, as they were knocked out of the FIFA Club World Cup following Chelsea’s 2-1 win in the quarter-final. Cole Palmer scored the opening goal, while a late own goal from Agustin Giay ended their hopes of reaching the semi-finals.
Estevao netted the equaliser in the 53rd minute, showcasing his eye for goal with a powerful strike that beat Robert Sanchez at his near post from a tight angle.
The Brazilian winger controlled a pass inside the penalty area with a sharp left-footed touch, before charging past Levi Colwill before firing a powerful right-footed shot off the crossbar and into the net.
Speaking after the win, Blues boss Maresca also acknowledged Estevao’s quality.
“Happy because we won and also happy because Estevao scored, the perfect night. He is very good, a huge talent, fantastic player,” he said. “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.”
As Estevao prepares to join his new teammates in west London for pre-season, Palmeiras manager Abel Ferreira has offered Maresca advice on how to unlock the highly rated wonderkid.
“I spoke before with Maresca and told him ‘you bought an amazing player but more than this you bought an amazing person,’ the Portuguese said.
“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 will leave Palmeiras after making 102 appearances across the senior and under-20 teams between 2021 and 2025.
Under Ferreira, he scored 27 goals and provided 15 assists in 83 first team matches. Estevao also won two titles with Ferreira’s side – the Brasileirao in 2023 and the Paulistao in 2024.
“I knew this would be my last competition wearing the Palmeiras shirt, so I tried to enjoy it as much as I could with my teammates. They’re my family – I carry each one of them close to my heart,” Estevao said in his farewell speech.
“My family and I thank Palmeiras for everything they’ve done for us. Thank you, Palmeiras. I was very happy here – all my teammates and the coaching staff embraced me, so it’s sad to be saying farewell under these circumstances. I hope the fans never forget me, because I will never forget them.”
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