It seems a paradox that one of the teams that has signed the most young talent, such as Chelsea, finds itself without a distinctive face for its project. First, Cole Palmer appeared, but the Englishman's figure has faded after a couple of outstanding seasons. Then other names arrived, like Enzo Fernandez and Pedro Neto, who have not lasted long, and the reality is that since Eden Hazard, the London side has not boasted a world-class player in its squad.

Nevertheless, among all the names that have arrived at Stamford Bridge, one stands out above the rest. Estevao Willian, also known as "Messinho," is a young Brazilian winger of just 18 years old who, in his first season at Chelsea, is already showing flashes of great quality. This campaign, he has 6 goals and 2 assists, and his coach, Rosenior, has already highlighted his skills with the ball.

Expectations for Estevao are not recent, but date back to his novice stage in his country's football. At 9 years old, he entered the youth academy of Cruzeiro, and his talent was so great that at 10, he was already signing his first contract with Nike. In 2021, he moved to Palmeiras, and in 2023, he made his professional debut at just 16 years old. Thanks to his agility and dribbling ability, among fans he began to be nicknamed "Messinho" in honor of Leo Messi.

He accumulated minutes in Palmeiras' first team until 2024, and he began to start regularly and score his first goals with the Brazilian club. From a very young age, he was seen as the new pearl of his team thanks to his innate dribbling skill and speed. He ended 2024 scoring 15 goals and providing 10 assists at only 17 years old, and Chelsea made his signing official in 2024, although he did not arrive in Europe until 2025.

Finally, Estevao ended his stage at Palmeiras after scoring 27 goals in 83 matches and set off for England. He was received as a star in London and made his debut for Chelsea in August 2025, scoring a goal in his first match against Bayer Leverkusen.

Beyond his dribbling and speed, Estevao brings fresh ideas to Chelsea's attack. On average, the Brazilian completes 1.3 dribbles per 90 minutes and creates 0.8 goal-scoring chances. However, competition has meant he is not yet an undisputed starter in Rosenior's scheme. He has only 14 starts in 28 matches, and in the Premier League, he only plays 38 minutes per game.

Nevertheless, his first great performance came last weekend against Crystal Palace. After being rewarded with a starting spot, Estevao scored a goal and provided an assist in Chelsea's victory at Selhurst Park. Under Rosenior's command, with whom he is getting along well, the definitive explosion of this talented winger could arrive.

Liam Rosenior himself stated in a press conference regarding the number of minutes he should play. "With an 18-year-old talent like that, you have to manage his minutes," said the new technical director of the London team. "You have to manage the games you consider appropriate for him to have an impact. I will continue doing so because I want him to have an exceptional season and career," concluded the Englishman.

Within the crop of young talents coexisting in Chelsea's squad, Estevao is the most outstanding. His coach has already stated that he intends for him to stay in London his entire career and become a club legend. However, it would not be the first time such a talent is wasted due to bad decisions.

The club and he must focus on improving to be able to create a new golden era for Chelsea. If he is guided correctly, we could be talking about one of the best players in the world in the coming years.

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