Don’t call me little Messi; Neymar is my idol’ – Chelsea wonderkid Estevao
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Chelsea’s teenage sensation, Estevao Willian, has revealed that compatriot Neymar is his football idol, while admitting that he and his family never liked the nickname “Messinho” (Little Messi) given to him during his early years in Brazil.
The 17-year-old made headlines over the weekend after scoring his first goal for Chelsea, netting a late winner to seal a 2-1 victory over champions Liverpool at Stamford Bridge.
Speaking with FourFourTwo, Estevao said his admiration for Neymar began early:
He said, “I only knew about Nike because of Neymar.”
“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 I’d be getting free boots every month. I had no idea how big the brand was globally. When they told me I’d be wearing the same boots as Neymar, I was over the moon.”
Despite his admiration for Neymar, Estevão’s left-footed flair earned him a nickname inspired by Barcelona legend Lionel Messi, a name he says he never embraced.
“I don’t remember who came up with it, but it just caught on straight away,” he said.
“Neither I nor my family ever liked it much. Sometimes a nickname like that becomes a burden you didn’t ask for. You just want to play football, to do what you love – but that kind of label adds a pressure that’s not yours. Thankfully, I was able to leave it behind when I moved to Palmeiras.”
The Brazilian starlet also revealed that he began learning English 18 months ago, long before joining Chelsea, driven by a desire to prepare for the future.
“Long before I accepted Chelsea’s offer, I told my parents I wanted to learn English.
I prefer face to face, but I’ve done them online if I’ve had to.”
“I want to settle quickly. It’s 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.”
