Chelsea wonderkid Estevao has spoken of his admiration for “idol” Neymar however says he’s not a fan of the ‘Little Messi‘ nickname he was given.
The teenage sensation hit the headlines this weekend when he scored his first objective for Chelsea, sweeping residence a late winner on the again submit to clinch a 2-1 win over champions Liverpool at Stamford Bridge.
Chelsea paid a price that might attain €57 million with the intention to signal Estevao from Palmeiras final 12 months, though the attacker was allowed to remain in Brazil for the entire of final season.
He made his debut for the Blues in August towards Crystal Palace and he has instantly grow to be a fan favorite.
Esetavo speaks of affection for Neymar
In an interview with FourFourTwo, Estevao has revealed how Brazil legend Neymar is his idol.
Such a younger prodigy was Estevao that on the age of simply eight he turned a Nike athlete, following within the footsteps of his hero Neymar.
“In my head, I simply thought I’d be getting free boots each month. I had no concept how huge Nike was globally,” he defined.
“I solely knew about Nike due to Neymar.
“He was my idol rising up, and he wore Nike boots when he performed for Santos.
“However I used to be too younger to actually perceive what signing with Nike really meant. In my head, I simply thought I’d be getting free boots each month. I had no concept how huge the model was globally. After they instructed me I’d be sporting the identical boots as Neymar, I used to be over the moon.”
The Brazil worldwide was ceaselessly dubbed ‘the following Lionel Messi’ after his emergence onto the senior stage with Palmeiras, even incomes the nickname ‘Messinho’ (Little Messi) within the course of.
However Estevao says it’s a nickname he’s not keen on.
“I don’t keep in mind who got here up with it, but it surely simply caught on right away,” he says.
“Neither I nor my household ever favored it a lot. Typically a nickname like that turns into a burden you didn’t ask for. You simply need to play soccer, to do what you like – however that sort of label provides a stress that’s not yours. Fortunately, I used to be capable of depart it behind after I moved to Palmeiras.”
Estevao scored 27 targets in 83 video games for Palmeiras earlier than signing for Chelsea,
He gained the Campeonato Brasileiro Série A in 2023 and Campeonato Paulista in 2024.
He has been capped seven instances by Brazil, scoring one objective.
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