‘Different from anything I’ve ever seen’ – Why Chelsea’s dazzling new Brazilian star Estevao Willian is the real deal

ABEL Ferreira has been around. 

So when he says that current wonderkid Estevao is something really special, it is time to pay attention

Ferreira has had a long career as a right back in his native Portugal, coached there and in Greece before heading for Brazil, where for the last four and half years he has been the highly successful boss of Palmeiras. 

He oversaw the start of the career of Real Madrid wonderkid Endrick, who scored Brazil’s winner at Wembley last year. 

Ferreira, 46, says Chelsea’s newest arrival Estevao is “different from anything I’ve ever seen” — which means the kid must be something very special indeed.

It was in the middle of last year, in a post-match press conference, and Ferreira was fighting hard trying to stop himself from saying the words. 

But he could not hold his tongue.  It all came out. 

“This kid,” he said, “is different from anything I’ve ever seen.” 

He used the opportunity to make an appeal to the club not to sell Estevao – which, of course, fell on deaf ears. 

Within a few weeks Chelsea had done a deal to take him to Stamford Bridge, although not until after this summer’s Club World Cup.

The deal officially goes through on June 1, but the small print means that he’ll still be wearing a Palmeiras shirt for a few more weeks.

Chelsea fans will be able to see their new teenage prodigy when Palmeiras take on Porto in their opening game in New Jersey on Sunday.

So what was it about this slightly built, unassuming youngster that had captivated Abel Ferreira so much? 

In part, as you might expect from a coach who comes across as a young Jose Mourinho, it was a mentality thing. 

He loved the way that Estevao, right from the start, was so unflustered by failure. 

Ferreira would make a point of showing the Palmeiras youth players how, if a move did not come off, Estevao would dust himself down and, full of confidence, try something new. 

At 17 he was taking crunch penalties and free kicks.  This, then, is a skinny little player with a big heart.

But what absolutely leaps out is the talent – that kind of George Best -type balance that makes it appear that, while things are happening all too quickly for the defenders, he is operating in slow motion, sizing up his options and calculating their chances of success. 

Left footed, he has been used on the right wing, where he can cut in and shoot, or go outside and cross. 

And, to the delight of his coach, he has a keen understanding of the space that he needs to attack.

His first start came almost a year ago – April 11th 2024, in a game in the Copa Libertadores, South America’s Champions League, against a team from Uruguay. 

Estevao made his mark, getting in at the far post to score with a header. 

It was not the type of goal that might have been expected from a player of his type, but it was the consequence of how he had read the situation and worked out where to go. 

All of this brought back memories of another little player who at 17 had a similar capacity to understand what was going on around him – a certain Lionel Messi. 

And at the start of his youth career, Estevao was nicknamed ‘Messinho.’ 

The name of that Uruguayan club, by the way, was Liverpool. 

And all around the stadium, even on his debut as a starter, there was an understanding that he would soon be on the other side of the Atlantic, coming up against a much bigger club with the same name.

Palmeiras fans, and Brazilian supporters in general, are catching Estevao while they can. 

Soon, though, watching him will be the privilege of the Chelsea faithful.  And they should be genuinely excited. 

It is hard to see how they can make use of all of the talent that they buy – Ecuadorian wonderkid Kendry Paez, for example, is having a tough time growing up in public. 

His form has slumped, which is worrying just a few months before his move to England. 

He could easily find himself out on loan, and lose momentum as a result. 

Estevao, though, will demand inclusion.  Chelsea supporters have the chance to follow the growth of the most dazzling talent to come out of Brazil since Neymar- but with much less of the baggage. 

Estevao is a discreet figure.  There is nothing histrionic about him, and instead of going to ground looking for fouls, he has the healthy habit of trying to stay on his feet. 

And before long, Estevao will be bringing Stamford Bridge to its feet.