Palmeiras: Breeding Ground for Brazilian Talent
Estevao Willian is the newest name emerging from Brazilian football, also known as Messinho due to playing characteristics is now bound to take the world stage by storm in 2025 after sealing an agreement with Chelsea.
Palmeiras has a reputation for developing rising stars in Brazilian football. Notable alumni include Gabriel Jesus and Danilo, who is currently making a name for himself with Nottingham Forest.
Endrick Grabs Headlines
Recently, Endrick stole the spotlight with his £51 million transfer to Real Madrid at the young age of 16. He is widely considered to have the potential to become a future superstar.
Enter Estevão Willian, the New Prodigy
Another youngster turning heads is Estevão Willian. This 17-year-old forward has caught the attention of top European clubs like Chelsea, Arsenal, Real Madrid, Manchester City, and Bayern Munich.
Nicknamed “Messinho” due to his playing style resembling the legendary Lionel Messi, Willian possesses exceptional talent.
Standing Out from the Crowd
Estevao Willian began his youth career at Cruzeiro, the club that launched Ronaldo’s career. By the age of 10, he had already generated significant hype as a winger. In 2018, he signed a sponsorship deal with Nike, becoming the youngest Brazilian to achieve this feat, surpassing Real Madrid’s Rodrygo.
In 2021, Palmeiras secured Willian on a trainee contract. He quickly made a significant impact on their youth teams.
Early Success at Palmeiras
During the 2022 season, Estevao Willian’s contributions helped Palmeiras’ youth teams win four championships: Campeonato Paulista Sub-17, Campeonato Paulista Sub-15, Copa do Brasil Sub-17, and Campeonato Brasileiro Sub-17. In the Campeonato Brasileiro Sub-17 final, he even scored a hat-trick to secure a 3-0 victory over Sao Paulo.
A year later, he made his professional debut for Palmeiras at just 16 years and 8 months old. He became the club’s fourth youngest player ever.
Last month, he marked another milestone by scoring his first goal for the club in a Copa Libertadores group stage match. This achievement placed him among the third-youngest players to score in the competition.
High Praise and a Dream
Blessed with electrifying dribbling skills and pace, Willian can play on the right wing or even operate through the middle. His talent has drawn comparisons to none other than Barcelona legend Lionel Messi. His nickname, “Messinho,” reflects this resemblance.
The Estevão Willian to Chelsea link is getting stronger.
This boy is literally Brazil's biggest talent at the moment. Not even Endrick comes close 🥱pic.twitter.com/DrMFAjsMV4
— 𝐉𝐄𝐑𝐑𝐘 (@badboy_jerry) May 9, 2024
Willian is highly regarded and tipped for greatness, attracting interest from top clubs worldwide. While Chelsea appears to be leading the race, Willian has previously expressed his admiration for Barcelona.
“To play for Barcelona, which is one of the best clubs in the world,” Willian once stated, “That’s the dream I have. I was born watching Neymar, Messi and Suarez play for Barcelona.” He aspires to follow in their footsteps.
Palmeiras’ head youth coach, Jorge Sampaio, spoke to FIFA about Willian’s potential: “These kinds of players have a strong personality, a big ego to say: ‘I am, I can and I will.’ And they do it. For these out-of-this-world talents, things come easy.”
