The Brazilian prodigy’s actions have divided fans, with some Chelsea supporters decrying his lack of restraint, while others see it as a sign of his fierce competitiveness, setting the stage for a complex welcome when he arrives at Stamford Bridge.
Estêvão’s goal was a moment of brilliance. Receiving the ball near the byeline on the right, tightly marked by Chelsea’s Marc Cucurella, he unleashed a thunderous right-footed strike from a near-impossible angle, rocketing the ball past Robert Sanchez and clipping the crossbar to equalize at 1-1.
The 70,000-strong crowd erupted, and Palmeiras’ X account hailed it as a “golaço.” But it was Estêvão’s celebration that stole headlines. Rather than tempering his reaction out of respect for his future club, he sprinted toward the Palmeiras fans, cupping his ears and mimicking Cole Palmer’s iconic “cold” celebration—arms crossed, staring defiantly into the stands.
This gesture, which he had previously used after signing with Chelsea to honor Palmer, now felt to many like a taunt aimed at his future teammates and supporters.
Social media exploded with reactions. Some Chelsea fans expressed outrage, with one X post stating, “You don’t celebrate like that against your parent club!” Another user fumed, “That’s not the attitude we want at Chelsea,” suggesting Estêvão’s boldness could signal a lack of loyalty or humility. Others, however, defended his passion, with a fan writing, “He’s 18, playing for his boyhood club. Let him celebrate—he’ll be a Blue soon enough.”
The sentiment reflects a split: some see a disrespectful jab, especially given his imminent move, while others view it as a young player seizing a moment in his final Palmeiras outing.
The context adds fuel to the controversy. Estêvão, dubbed “Messinho” for his Neymar-esque flair, has been under scrutiny in Brazil for not delivering in big games, with pundit Paulo Vinicius Coelho noting he “scores against smaller clubs” but struggles against top rivals.
His goal against Chelsea, coupled with two man-of-the-match awards in the tournament, silenced those critics but stirred unease among Chelsea fans already wary of his focus after he admitted to TNT Sports that balancing his Palmeiras duties with thoughts of Chelsea was “really hard.”
Palmeiras fans had previously called for him to be benched, frustrated by perceived distraction, yet manager Abel Ferreira backed him, urging a “spectacular” farewell performance.
For Chelsea, the celebration stings doubly after a 3-1 group-stage loss to Flamengo and a missed chance by Christopher Nkunku earlier in the match. Enzo Maresca, who dismissed Estêvão’s individual threat pre-match, focusing on Palmeiras as a team, was visibly stunned by the goal and celebration.
The irony of Estêvão using Palmer’s gesture—after the pair connected on social media, with Palmer calling him a “star”—adds a layer of complexity. While some fans worry about his integration, others see his fearlessness as a sign he’ll thrive in the Premier League’s intensity, where he’ll compete with Palmer, Noni Madueke, and Pedro Neto for a spot.
Estêvão’s celebration, bold and unapologetic, reflects his self-described view of the pitch as his “amusement park,” where he plays to entertain. Whether Chelsea fans will embrace this audacity or demand humility remains to be seen, but his Stamford Bridge journey is off to a polarizing start.
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