Chelsea fans could not contain their excitement after teenage sensation Estevao Willian light up Stamford Bridge with a dazzling performance in his first appearance for the club against Bayer Leverkusen.
It didn’t take long for the 18-year-old Brazilian to announce his arrival – within 18 minutes, Estevao pounced on a rebound from Cole Palmer’s shot to hit home Chelsea’s opener.
Late in the game, Joao Pedro added gloss to the scoreline with a composed finish, sealing a 2-0 victory for the Blues and wrapping up a productive evening for both new signings.
Estevao’s arrival had been anticipated since Chelsea agreed a deal with Palmeiras in June 2024. The £30million transfer finally became official once he turned 18 this summer.
And he marked his territory in west London in the best way possible on Friday night, sending Chelsea fans into a frenzy.
One fan wrote on X: ‘Yamal who?! Estevao is the best young talent of the world.’
Estevao Willian sent Chelsea fans into a frenzy after his pre-season debut vs Bayer Leverkusen
The 18-year-old Brazilian wonderkid scored the Blues’ opener in their 2-0 win on Friday night
Estevao’s arrival had been anticipated since Chelsea agreed a deal with Palmeiras in June 2024, and the £30m transfer finally became official once he turned 18 this summer.
Fans online have already mounted heavy expectations on Estevao after his exciting showing
Another commented: ‘Kid’s wasting no time, what a way to announce yourself,’ while a third said: ‘Unbelievable first outing. Exceptional player.’
A fourth said: ‘First goal in the bag, remember the name.’ Another fan wrote: ‘All the characteristics to reach superstar status, let’s see if he has the discipline.’
Estevao’s meteoric rise comes after a standout stint at Palmeiras, where he scored 27 goals in 83 appearances.
He became the fourth-youngest player in their history to debut, won the Brasileirao Best Newcomer and the prestigious Bola de Ouro.
Despite the excitement over Estevao, Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca previously insisted he will avoid placing excessive pressure on his young star as he begins his debut season.
He said: ‘I met him for the first time in the USA when we played against Palmeiras. He’s a fantastic player. He’s very young, is a happy boy, and is always laughing. Typical for a Brazilian guy. We want to keep him happy.
‘With him, we need to pay a little bit more attention [than other signings] because, first of all, he’s from another part of the world, and also he’s very young. So we need to pay attention, not put him under pressure, give him happiness, give him time.
‘He needs to adapt, and hopefully we can give him minutes to make him even happier. But for sure, he’s a talented player.’
