London, October 8, 2025 – Estêvão Willian, the 18-year-old Brazilian sensation whose stoppage-time strike clinched Chelsea’s dramatic 2-1 Premier League victory over Liverpool at Stamford Bridge last weekend, has delivered a impassioned message to his teammates, coaches, and the club’s fervent supporters. In a candid interview with Globo Esporte ahead of Brazil’s World Cup qualifiers, the £50 million Palmeiras graduate implored those around him to cease the relentless comparisons to Lionel Messi – a moniker that’s shadowed him since his youth academy days – and instead celebrate his lifelong admiration for Neymar Jr. “I love Leo, but please, no more ‘Messinho.’ It’s a burden I didn’t ask for. You just want to play football, do what you love,” Estêvão said, his voice firm yet respectful. “Neymar’s been my idol since I was a kid in Fortaleza. He’s the one who showed me how to dream big. Let’s honor that, not chase shadows.”
The outburst, timed perfectly amid Chelsea’s surging form under Enzo Maresca – now fourth in the table after the Liverpool scalp – underscores the pressures on a teenager thrust into the Premier League’s cauldron. Dubbed “Messinho” (Little Messi) at Cruzeiro for his low center of gravity, explosive dribbling, and penchant for slaloming defenders, Estêvão has endured the label like a double-edged sword. It propelled his meteoric rise: at 12, he became the youngest Brazilian to ink a Nike deal, eclipsing even Neymar and Rodrygo. Scouts salivated, with Palmeiras snapping him up for a record youth fee in 2020. By 17, he’d shattered Neymar’s Serie A record for goal involvements in a season (19 goals, 12 assists), earning the “best talent since Ney” tag from Brazil’s football cognoscenti. Chelsea, in their youth-obsessed rebuild, pounced last summer, viewing him as the crown jewel of a £200 million Brazilian influx alongside Kendry Páez.
Yet, the Messi parallels – both left-footed maestros with a flair for the impossible – have grated. “Sometimes a nickname like that becomes a burden,” Estêvão elaborated, echoing sentiments from his FourFourTwo profile earlier this year. “I get it – the dribbles, the vision – but I’m not him. I’m Estêvão. My first Nike memory? Neymar. I only knew the brand because of him. He was the wizard on TV, turning games into art. Childhood posters? All Ney. Messi’s magic, sure, but Neymar’s fire lit mine.” The distinction is poignant: while Messi’s cerebral genius inspires awe, Neymar’s audacious street-ball style – somersault celebrations, rainbow flicks, and unapologetic joy – resonates with Brazil’s favelas-born talents. Estêvão, from a modest Fortaleza family, credits Neymar for teaching resilience: “He faced the world’s eyes young, like me now. Injuries, criticism – he bounces back. That’s my blueprint.”
At Chelsea, the hype machine whirs. Maresca, the Italian tactician blending Pep Guardiola’s possession with Italian steel, has eased Estêvão in off the bench, his Liverpool winner – a clinical finish from Cole Palmer’s incision – marking his maiden Blues goal. Teammates like Moisés Caicedo, who netted the opener against the Reds, have heaped praise: “He’s got that spark – pure Neymar vibes.” But Estêvão’s warning rings clear: to Enzo and the squad, “Don’t mold me into someone else; let me grow my way.” To fans, who’ve chanted “Messinho” in the Shed End, “Support the journey, not the ghost.” It’s a mature stance from one so young, reminiscent of Kylian Mbappé’s early Messi rebuffs or Jude Bellingham’s Ronaldo disavowals.
The context amplifies his plea. Chelsea’s season, a redemption arc after last term’s sixth-place limbo, hinges on such gems. Estêvão’s integration mirrors the club’s Brazilian blueprint: fluid wing play in a 4-2-3-1, pressing high like Neymar’s PSG days. Against Liverpool, he tormented Conor Bradley, winning three duels and creating two chances in 25 minutes – stats echoing Neymar’s breakout at Santos. Off-pitch, he’s bonded with Alejandro Garnacho, the £80 million ex-United flyer, over shared Neymar worship: “We swap clips of his 2015 Champions League hat-tricks.” Yet, Messi’s shadow looms large. BBC analysts likened his Liverpool dart to Messi’s 2011 El Clásico solo run; ESPN dubbed him “the next Neymar, with Messi’s brain.”
Neymar’s response? Swift and touching. The 33-year-old Al-Hilal star, sidelined by ACL woes but ever the mentor, DM’d Estêvão post-match: “Keep shining, irmão. Your style’s yours – inspired by me? That’s family.” It’s a full-circle moment; Neymar, once Chelsea-bound in 2012 (he tweeted admiration after their Champions League semis win), now shepherds the heir apparent. For Estêvão, it’s validation: “Ney’s message? Gold. No pressure, just love.” As Chelsea eye the Champions League spots – three points behind Arsenal – his words foster a sanctuary. Maresca, in Tuesday’s presser, obliged: “He’s Estêvão Willian. Neymar’s influence? Beautiful. We’ll build on that fire.”
This isn’t mere PR; it’s a clarion call in football’s comparison culture. From Bojan Krkić’s Messi curse to Adama Traoré’s Ronaldo weight, young stars crumble under borrowed legacies. Estêvão, with 22 Brazil U20 caps and a Copa América whisper, refuses the trap. “Teammates, fans – let’s win together, my way,” he concluded. “Neymar taught me joy; Messi’s for the pantheon. I’m here to create my chapter.” At Stamford Bridge, where dreams are forged in blue, Chelsea’s boy wonder isn’t chasing GOATs – he’s summoning his hero’s spirit. The Premier League, beware: a Neymar-esque storm brews, unburdened and unbound.
