Who is Estevao Willian, Brazil’s Best Prospect Since Neymar?: Do you know Estevao Willian? It’s okay if you haven’t. In the upcoming months, there will undoubtedly be a lot of talk about him. After leaving Palmeiras, the 17-year-old Brazilian signed a contract with Premier League team Chelsea for an estimated $37 million up front with performance-related add-ons. He is very remarkable for his age.
However, it wasn’t an easy ride for the Blues. In the ring were a lot of well-known suitors. The largest among them was, of course, Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City, currently the most powerful team in England. Huge German teams Bayern Munich and Paris St-Germain, the former team of Kylian Mbappe, were also vying for the prize. With his signing, the Blues have essentially pulled off the inconceivable.
Willian, sometimes known as “Messinho,” is referred to as the Brazilian Messi. Why? Because Willian is just as talented as the legendary Argentine, he can do a great deal of things at full speed. That is an amazing quality to possess. The winger is obviously left-footed as well. That being said, he objects to the moniker Messinho.
Many people in Brazil believe that Willian is the best player since Neymar. “Since Neymar, Estevao is the best player to come out of Brazilian football. The head of Palmeiras’ academy, Joao Paulo Sampaio, told BBC Sport, “You watch him and you fall in love.”
In 2021, Willian enrolled in Palmeiras’ youth academy. The Sau Paulo-based club attempted to recruit Willian in 2017, when he first made waves as an incredibly talented player, but Cruzeiro of Belo Horizonte beat them to the signing, apparently paying ten times what they were proposing.
Willian soon made history by being the youngest football player from Brazil to secure a deal with the world’s largest sportswear and footwear company, Nike. Rodrygo and Neymar signed Nike contracts when they were 11 and 13, respectively. You’re all set!
The other two teenage Brazilians with ties to Palmeiras who supporters are excited about are Endrick, who is a member of Brazil’s Copa America team and is set to join Spanish superpower Real Madrid ahead of the 2018 season, and Luis Guilherme, who is set to join West Ham United. Will Willian eventually surpass them? Most likely, yes!
After his team’s victory in the Brazilian Cup, which was fueled by a goal from Willian, Palmeiras coach Abel Ferreira remarked last month, “This player is different from everything I’ve ever seen.”
When discussing Willian during the Under-17 World Cup last year, the Spanish daily AS said, “Brazil have a new genius.”
These are not your typical awards.
Willian has a lot of promise, but before he can begin his ascent to greatness, a few things need to be checked off. Sampaio identified them. “His technique is already impressive, but he still has a lot of development ahead of him because, similar to Neymar at this stage of his career, he has not yet reached physical maturity and is not as strong as Endrick. It’s something that astounds everyone and gives them hope that he will perform at an even greater level,” he remarked.
There is no denying that Premier League defenders are fierce competitors. It appears that Willian and his forces of guidance have made the right decision. If that’s his current shortcoming, England is the only place that could possibly be able to prepare him. He will be in shark-infested waters, and a task like this will undoubtedly create a man out of him. It will take strength for him to handle that level of aggressiveness everywhere. There isn’t an alternative.
The five-time Premier League champions have not been happy with their performance in the past few years. They placed sixth last season and 12th in 2022–2023; they have now appointed Enzo Maresca as their sixth manager in the last five years.
The London-based club, to be honest, is in desperate need of a spark to get them moving and assist them go back to where they once belonged. I’m hoping Willian will supply that. In recent years, Chelsea supporters have not been quite so eager.
