Estevao Willian, the 17-year-old Palmeiras youngster, is attracting the attention of top European clubs, including Chelsea, Arsenal, Real Madrid, Man City and Bayern Munich.

The Brazilian prodigy that Chelsea pursues, nicknamed ‘Messiinho’

Known as “Messiinho” due to his playing style resembling that of Argentine legend Lionel Messi, Willian is highly regarded as one of Brazil’s most promising young talents.

Palmeiras seems to be a breeding ground for rising Brazilian talents. Gabriel Jesus has progressed through their ranks, while Danilo is making strides with Nottingham Forest in the Premier League. Endrick has recently garnered attention – thanks to his £51 million transfer to Real Madrid at just 16 years old – and certainly has the potential to become the next football superstar.

But the spotlight now shines on a new boy being sought after by top clubs across Europe like Chelsea, Arsenal, Real Madrid, Man City, and Bayern Munich.

At just 17 years old, Estevao Willian has the world at his feet with his immense talent. And due to his outstanding abilities, he has earned a very flattering nickname. Those who know him call him “Messiho” because of the similarities in his playing style to that of the Argentine legend, Lionel Messi.

Estevao Willian began his career at Cruzeiro – the club that propelled Ronaldo to stardom. In 2018, at just 10 years old, praises were already being sung for this winger. A year later, he signed a sponsorship deal with Nike. This contract made Estevao Willian the youngest Brazilian to sign with the sportswear giant, surpassing Real Madrid’s Rodrygo.

Estevao Willian was signed by Nike when he was just 11 years old.

In 2021, Palmeiras acquired Estevao Willian from Cruzeiro – signing him as a youth intern. Immediately, Estevao Willian made a difference for Palmeiras’ youth team. In the 2022 season, he helped Palmeiras’ youth teams win the Campeonato Paulista Sub-17, Campeonato Paulista Sub-15, Copa do Brasil Sub-17, and Campeonato Brasileiro Sub-17. He then scored a hat-trick in the final match to defeat Sao Paulo 3-0.

Palmeiras’ youth team head coach, Jorge Sampaio, spoke to FIFA about Estevao Willian’s abilities: “One thing these players have is strong personalities, a big ‘I am’ to say: ‘I am who I am, I can, and I will do it.’ And they do it. For these exceptional talents, everything becomes easy. It’s really tough for ordinary players, who make up the majority.”

Estevao Willian joined the Palmeiras youth team in 2021, winning many titles.

In 2022, Estevao Willian made his debut for Palmeiras’ first team. He came off the bench in the 78th minute in a 1-1 draw away against Cruzeiro, helping Palmeiras secure the Serie A Brazil championship. At just 16 years and 8 months old, Estevao Willian became the club’s fourth youngest player of all time.

In April 2024, Estevao Willian scored his first goal for the club in a 3-1 victory against Liverpool (the less successful version from Uruguay) in the Copa Libertadores group stage. With this goal, he became the third player under 17 years old to score in this tournament, alongside Endrick and Angelo Gabriel – the latter being a player Chelsea acquired in 2023 for £13 million from Santos.

Estevao Willian scored his first goal for the Palmeiras first team in April 2024.

Blessed with divine dribbling skills and lightning speed, this winger can operate in the center as well, drawing comparisons to Barcelona icon Messi. In addition to his finesse, Estevao Willian possesses an innate football intelligence beyond his years.

Highly rated, Estevao Willian has attracted interest from major clubs across Europe. Chelsea seems to have the edge over competitors, but in the past, Estevao Willian has expressed love for another club. “My dream is to play for Barcelona, one of the best clubs in the world,” Estevao Willian said. “I was born witnessing Neymar, Messi, and Suarez playing for Barcelona, and that’s my dream. I watch almost every Barcelona game. I am a fan of the club. I admire the players who play there, and I hope to be there too. Yes, it would be a dream come true.”