A decisive goal in stoppage time, hundreds of fans chanting his name on the other side of the planet, and to top it off, two goals with the Brazilian national team. Estevão Willian had a busy week that made him rise in stature—both within the national team and in world football. At just 18 years old, the Brazilian is not yet a starter at Chelsea, but he is already showing that he is here to stay at the current world champions. The goal in the 2-1 win over Liverpool last Saturday was his first for the Blues but caused a stir among the fans at Stamford Bridge.
The same phenomenon has occurred in the national team: Estevão is not a starter yet, but he seized his opportunity against South Korea and scored twice in the 5-0 rout. With three goals under Carlo Ancelotti’s command, he is the team’s top scorer since the Italian coach took over. ‘My satisfaction comes from the team play. When you have a strong foundation with a solid defensive unit, the individual quality upfront shines through. Today it worked out very well because Rodrygo had a great match, and Estevão as well,’ said the coach at the stadium.
Since joining the national team, Ancelotti has placed the winger—then at Palmeiras—at the center of his project and included him in all three squad lists selected by the coaching staff so far. Moving ahead, Estevão’s performance against South Korea has elevated him to another level in the hierarchy of Brazilian national team forwards. While previously seen as a backup option, he is now vying for a starting spot without being inferior to his competition such as Vini Jr., Rodrygo, or Raphinha.
This rise of the former Palmeiras player brings him closer to the World Cup, securing a place in the attack where the competition remains fierce. Estevão’s breakthrough, less than a year before the tournament, puts him at an advantage compared to his idol Neymar, who has been plagued by injuries and has never been called up by Ancelotti. Another player who has seen Chelsea’s winger ‘jump the line’ is Endrick, who continues to be sidelined at Real Madrid.
A possible solution for the forward could be to accept a potential loan move to secure playing time. However, for now, he maintains that he does not want to leave the club. Estevão has already won Ancelotti over in training and is earning the support of Brazilian fans during games. However, in South Korea, he experienced a new sensation: being a symbol for hundreds of fans who followed the national team to the hotel and training grounds in Seoul.
The ‘Estevãomania’ featured Palmeiras and Chelsea shirts, chants, requests for photos and autographs, and even a painting made by a fan and presented to the player, who expressed surprise at the overwhelming affection. ‘It was quite surprising because you are on the other side of the world. It’s incredible, especially coming from where I started and receiving this love. It serves as motivation to know that I’m on the right path, working, fighting every day to reach where I want to and achieve all my dreams,’ he said in a press conference on Wednesday.
After their victory over South Korea, the delegation heads to Japan. On Tuesday (14th), at 7:30 AM (Brasília time), they will face the local team.
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