Estêvão Willian Almeida de Oliveira Gonçalves (born 24 April 2007), known as Estevão Willian or simply Estevão, is a Brazilian association football, footballer who plays as a Winger (association football), winger for Campeonato Brasileiro Série A club Sociedade Esportiva Palmeiras, Palmeiras. He is considered one of the best football prospects in the world. He is also known as "Messinho", named after arguably one of the greatest football players of all times, Lionel Messi.

Career

Estêvão Willian was born in Franca, Brazil, and began his youth career with the academy of Cruzeiro Esporte Clube, Cruzeiro in 2017. He originally used the nickname Messinho as an homage to Lionel Messi, due to similarities in their playing style. The following year 2018 at the age of 10, Estêvão signed a professional contract with Nike, Inc., Nike, making him their youngest Brazilian player to sign with the company surpassing Rodrygo Goes. He moved to the youth academy of Sociedade Esportiva Palmeiras, Palmeiras on 6 May 2021, signing a trainee contract. In the 2022 season, he helped the Palmeiras youth teams win the , , Copa do Brasil Sub-17 and Campeonato Brasileiro Sub-17. In October 2023, he scored a hat-trick in the Campeonato Brasileiro Sub-17 final which ended in a 3–0 victory against São Paulo FC, São Paulo, to help his club to achieve their second consecutive title in the competition.

International career

Estêvão Willian was first called up to represent the Brazil national under-17 football team, Brazil U17s in October 2022 for a set of friendlies in October 2022.

Honours

Club

Palmeiras * : 2021 * : 2021 * Copa do Brasil Sub-17: 2022 * Campeonato Brasileiro Sub-17: 2022, 2023

References

External links

Estevão Willian
at playmakerstats.com (English version of ogol.com.br)
Palmeiras profile
{{Sociedade Esportiva Palmeiras squad Living people 2007 births People from Franca Footballers from São Paulo (state) Brazilian men's footballers Men's association football wingers Sociedade Esportiva Palmeiras players