On a sweltering summer night at the Mineirao in Belo Horizonte, the date of December 6, 2023, became etched into Palmeiras history.
The Verdao sealed back-to-back Brazilian league titles in the most dramatic fashion you could ever imagine, clawing back a seemingly insurmountable 14-point deficit to overhaul Botafogo in a title race that will live long in the memory.
It was a night of triumph, of legacy, and perhaps, of prophecy. Palmeiras the Sao Paulo giants once created by Italian working-class immigrants, who moved to Brazil in the early 20th century stretched their record haul to 12 national titles, four more than their nearest rivals Santos.
But that night wasnt just about silverware. It was the coming of age of Endrick.
Still just 17, the Real Madrid-bound phenom delivered 11 goals in 31 appearances, including the hugely important opener of the 1-1 draw at Cruzeiro on that evening in Belo Horizonte to seal the crown. The spotlight, rightly, belonged to him.
But while Endrick basked in the glow of destiny fulfilled, a new wonderkid quietly stepped onto the stage.
In the 78th minute, Estevao a name whispered among Brazilian scouts since he was 10 made his professional debut at 16 years and eight months of age, becoming the fourth youngest player to turn out for Palmeiras in their 111-year history.
Six months later, the left-footed right winger was sold to Chelsea in a deal that could become the most expensive transfer ever completed by a Brazilian club: �38m up front, potentially rising to �52m with add-ons.
Hed have to wait a year before joining his new club, until hed turned 18 this summers Club World Cup in the United States was his last dance for Palmeiras.
Now, Stamford Bridge is the home of Brazils most electrifying export since Neymar lit up the late 2000s yes, more electrifying in the Brasilerao than both Endrick and Vinicius Junior.
Estevao was a kid who fell in love with the game at four, nutmegged people in church aisles for fun, and shunned the tag of Messinho to carve out his own identity. Today hes Chelseas new star, and ready to tell FourFourTwo his story.
Estevao: Long before I accepted Chelseas offer, I told my parents I wanted to learn English
It doesnt take long for Estevao to reveal the driven, grounded ambition that those closest to him always mention. When FFT chats to him in Portuguese and asks about his English language skills, his response is cool-headed and clear. His maturity belies his age.
Long before I accepted Chelseas offer, I told my parents I wanted to learn English, he says. Even though I didnt know Id end up in England, I knew it was a skill Id need in the future. He started learning 18 months ago. As 2025 kicked in, so did the urgency lessons every weekday, between games and training. Sometimes, its been hard to fit them in with the schedule, he admits. I prefer face to face, but Ive done them online if Ive had to.
I want to settle quickly, he adds, without hesitation. Its a dream come true to play in the biggest competitions, the Premier League and the Champions League. The 2026 World Cup is a goal too, but first, I have to prove myself at Chelsea.
In September 2024, just nine months after his pro debut with Palmeiras, Estevao became the fifth youngest player ever to pull on a shirt for Brazils senior team, coming off the bench in a 1-0 victory over Ecuador during World Cup qualifying.
Only Pele, Edu, Coutinho both were team-mates of the King himself and Endrick did it earlier. Not bad company to keep. But Estevao already had his eyes set on another new environment.
I want to see everything, he says. Im into football heritage. England lives and breathes it, I want to soak all of it in. He was getting top-tier advice, even before touching down at Heathrow. Who better to big up Chelsea than a fellow Brazilian and Stamford Bridge legend the last man from his country to lift the Champions League for the club?
I had a chat with Thiago Silva after we played Fluminense at home in our final Brasileirao match, Estevao says. He only had great things to say about the club, the people and the whole experience. He said that it will be incredible for me. That match ended in a 1-0 defeat, confirming Palmeiras as runners-up six points behind champions Botafogo, who, for once, didnt bottle the league title.
Estevao didnt match Endricks heroics in a title race, but he did knock a certain Neymar off his perch. With 13 goals and nine assists, he set a new benchmark of the most goal contributions posted by a 17-year-old in the Brasileirao, beating the Santos starlets tally of 10 goals and six assists in 2009.
He didnt leave empty-handed either. While the main trophy slipped away, the individual honours came flooding in. He was named best newcomer by the Brazilian FA, also doing the double at the prestigious Bola de Prata awards, scooping the same accolade, plus the big one: the Bola de Ouro for best player in the league. Not bad for your first full season in the top flight.
It wasnt just Estevao counting down the days until his big move to London. At Cobham, Reece James and Cole Palmer rolled out the virtual welcome mat, reaching out to let the youngster know he has a home waiting for him. It was more than just DMs, too the bond with Palmer is already taking shape. Days after signing for Chelsea, Estevao fired home in a 3-1 win over Juventude... and celebrated by busting out Palmers trademark cold pose. A fitting way to launch a bromance.
After I signed for Chelsea, that celebration came to mind, the young Brazilian says. Then Palmer saw that and messaged me, saying he couldnt wait for us to play together. It was in British English a bit tricky for me so I had to get some help from the translator app! Im not going to lie, I used it to message him back, too!
Palmer followed up later, checking whether Estevao would visit the club before finally linking up with the squad this summer. I didnt get the chance, he says. But it meant a lot. You could tell they were excited I was coming and they were already waiting for me.
As it turned out, Estevaos last game for Palmeiras would be against Chelsea, in the quarter-finals of the Club World Cup his side lost 2-1, but the winger scored and was man of the match.
The world is only just waking up to Estevao
Estevao might stand at just 5ft 7in with a lean frame, but his game packs serious punch. Hes a wizard with the ball at his feet, effortlessly dancing past defenders and whipping in thunderous strikes from just about anywhere he fancies. Whether its curling one from the edge of the box or letting fly from long range, his left foot is something else. The Premier League is known for its muscle, but Estevao isnt fazed.
Of course, I know Ill need to build a stronger, more intense physical presence at some point, but Im not overly worried about it, he says.
There will be a thorough process to achieve that, but I know what I bring to the pitch, my qualities, my ability to influence a game. Strength isnt always the deciding factor. I really believe in my potential.
Why would he doubt himself? Dozens of clubs had their eyes on him from the start, barely able to believe what this skinny kid was doing on the pitch. Estevaos talent turned heads long before he turned pro. Now its just the rest of the world catching up.
Abel Ferreira is the architect behind Palmeiras golden era. The Portuguese coach frequently compared to Jose Mourinho, not just for his passport, but for his love of a press-conference narrative has racked up 10 trophies in five years.
Thats practically a dynasty by Brazilian standards, where managers are lucky to last more than six months. Ferreiras extensive haul has included back-to-back league titles, consecutive Copa Libertadores crowns and glory in the Copa do Brasil.
In May 2024, Ferreira paused for a moment the kind of pause that usually signals a coach holding back praise to keep a young talent grounded. But Estevao had just stolen the show again, bagging a late winner in a cup clash against Botafogo-SP, lighting up the pitch with another dazzling display. His manager couldnt hold it in.
This kid is different from everything I have ever seen, Ferreira said. He attacks, he defends and hes never afraid to take responsibility.
The young stars fearless playing style is nothing short of mesmerising. Hell lose the ball or drag a shot wide, but moments later, hes demanding the ball back again, trying something new, taking another risk. Its not just that he isnt afraid to make mistakes. Its as if mistakes dont register at all.
That comes from my dad, Estevao says now. Hes always told me, Never stop being yourself. If I make a mistake during play, I dont have time to dwell on it. Youve only got seconds to react, because at any moment, the ball could be at your feet again and youve got to be ready to do something with it.
My dad has always hammered that idea into me its just about staying switched on and trusting your instincts. If theres space to take a man on, Ill take him on. If the better option is to pass, Ill pass. Ill do what I know and what Ive been trained to do. I know what Im capable of. I know what Ive got inside me. Thats why mistakes dont get to me. I trust in what I believe, and Ill keep trying until it comes off.
Born in Franca, a city some 250 miles inland from Sao Paulo, better known for basketball and shoe factories than footballing prodigies, Estevao grew up in a deeply religious household. His father, Ivo Goncalves, is an evangelical pastor. Faith still plays a central role in his life, since he often reads the Bible in the dressing room before matches and celebrates wins by posting scripture passages on Instagram.
It was Ivo, a former goalkeeper, who introduced him to the game, taking his football-obsessed son along to varzea matches, the grassroots games that dot Brazils amateur scene.
From then on, Estevao rarely went anywhere without a ball at his feet not even to his dads church. I would imagine that I was playing in a stadium, he says. Id dribble past whatever was in front of me. I used bottles as goalposts, smashed shots off the walls I even broke a clock! That kind of childhood imagination is incredible.
Estevao took his first steps in the game at a football school in Franca called Tok de Bola. It didnt take long for the youngster to become a sensation. Soon, crowds were showing up not just to watch their own kids, but to see him. His talent was so far beyond his years that he regularly played and dominated matches against older boys.
His impact in local tournaments sparked complaints from rival parents, who claimed Tok de Bola were cheating by fielding Estevao. To keep the peace, coaches often played him in the first half, where hed usually run riot, before subbing him off to level the playing field.
A Nike athlete at 10 years old
I loved scoring goals! Thats what made me happiest as a kid, he says. Whether I liked it or not, I ended up being better than the other boys. Even I could see the difference. Some of the parents didnt take too kindly to that!
Word of the young prodigy soon spread. Scouts from several Sao Paulo clubs made the trip to see what all the fuss was about, but it was Cruzeiro who moved fastest. At just eight years old, Estevao was off to Belo Horizonte. Within two years, he was a Nike athlete and one of the most talked-about academy prospects in Brazil.
Nike came calling in 2016, after Estevao lit up the Go Cup, one of the countrys most prestigious youth tournaments, while playing for Cruzeiro. Estevao introduced himself to a national audience in spectacular fashion.
I only knew about Nike because of Neymar, Estevao says. He was my idol growing up, and he wore Nike boots when he played for Santos. But I was too young to really understand what signing with Nike actually meant. In my head, I just thought Id be getting free boots every month. I had no idea how big the brand was globally. When they told me Id be wearing the same boots as Neymar, I was over the moon.
If the teenage sensation once idolised Neymar, his sweet left foot and the No.10 shirt at Cruzeiro quickly earned him a nickname inspired by a rival legend: Messinho, Little Messi. Estevao was never a fan of the comparison though and worked hard to shed it.
I dont remember who came up with it, but it just caught on straight away, he says. Neither I nor my family ever liked it much. Sometimes a nickname like that becomes a burden you didnt ask for. You just want to play football, to do what you love but that kind of label adds a pressure thats not yours. Thankfully, I was able to leave it behind when I moved to Palmeiras.
Palmeiras had tracked Estevao since his early days tormenting defenders and opposition parents in Franca, but they couldnt match Cruzeiros offer.
He and his dad were invited to pay a visit to the club, but they decided to sign for the Belo Horizonte giants instead. Still, academy chief Joao Paulo Sampaio stayed in touch with his father, keeping the door firmly open. Years later, when Cruzeiro collapsed into chaos, drowning in debt and scandal, the family, left without support, walked away.
Sampaio was ready and waiting. In his decade at the helm of Palmeiras academy, the club have gone from producing little of note to becoming arguably the most prolific talent factory in the Americas. Once lagging behind their domestic rivals, Palmeiras now lead the pack, and the numbers speak for themselves.
Gabriel Jesus moved to Manchester City for �27m, followed by Endricks switch to Real Madrid for an initial �30m, with the potential to pass �50m with add-ons. Then came Danilo to Nottingham Forest for �16m, Luis Guilherme to West Ham for �25m and Estevao to Chelsea for up to �52m. In the winter, Vitor Reis joined Manchester City for �29.6m, a new record price for a centre-back from a Brazilian club.
If theres anyone qualified to break down Estevaos game, its Sampaio, the man behind Palmeiras golden generation and one of Brazils sharpest eyes for youth talent. Hes got pure Brazilian DNA, Sampaio says. Flair, dribbling, joy, that spark of magic. His first touch doesnt just control the ball, it takes the defender out of the picture. But theres real end product too. Hes not just about putting on a show, his numbers are always there. With that kind of talent, he was already playing for our under-20s at just 15.
At Palmeiras, we teach our players to master three positions. Estevao can play off the right, the left or as a No.10. One of his standout performances came in the Under-17 Brasileirao final against Sao Paulo. He played as a No.10 and scored a hat-trick in a 3-0 win, just a couple of months before making his professional debut. Sooner or later, players like Estevao force their way into any team. Ive no doubt Chelsea fans will fall for him, and it wont take long.
From the church aisles of Franca to the roar of Stamford Bridge, England is now home to a wonderkid who might define a generation. With the swagger of a street baller and the stats to silence cynics, hes got everything to light up the Premier League. The relief for Enzo Maresca? At least this time, he wont have to sub him off at half-time to stop the other parents complaining.
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