Estêvão Willian Almeida de Oliveira Gonçalves is one of Brazil‘s most promising young talents.
Born on April 24, 2007, in Franca, he’s already turning heads as an attacking midfielder and winger.
Currently, with Palmeiras‘ youth team, Estêvão Willian represents the perfect example of a Brazilian attacking talent: creative, unpredictable, and a blast to watch.
This scout report examines Estêvão Willian playing style, tactical role, and areas for improvement, highlighting why he’s considered the future of Brazilian football.
Estevão Willian Style Of Play
Estêvão is 176 cm tall and usually plays as an attacking midfielder, winger, or second striker.
Although he’s only 17, he’s already a mature player with a keen understanding of how to influence games.
The left-footed teenager — known for his creativity, dribbling, and vision — possesses the technical skills, agility, and low centre of gravity to make him a nightmare for defenders in one-on-one situations.
While the winger is still working on his defensive game, his attacking skills make him a real standout and potential game-changer for both club and country.
Estêvão Willian’s rise through the Brazilian football ranks has been nothing short of sensational, earning him comparisons to legends like Neymar.
At only 17, Estêvão’s already showing more maturity and skill than most of his peers.
After starting out in the Cruzeiro youth ranks, he had a breakthrough after moving to Palmeiras, where he has demonstrated a unique blend of technical skill, footballing intelligence, and creativity.
His Palmeiras performances prompted Chelsea to snap him up for €34m last summer.
However, due to FIFA rules, Estêvão will not be able to join the London club until the summer of 2025, when he turns 18.
In the meantime, he continues to hone his skills in Brazil, where he has already broken records and won numerous awards that showcase his talent.
Estêvão’s performances have totally wowed Palmeiras.
His ability to influence games through goals, assists, and decisive plays has made him a rare talent.
Recently, he broke Neymar‘s record for the most combined goals and assists by a 17-year-old in the Brazilian league, cementing his place in history as a generational talent.
Neymar himself has been impressed, congratulating Estêvão on his achievements, and that says a lot about the young prodigy’s potential.
Estêvão has been called up to the Brazilian senior squad, where he made a big impact on his debut against Ecuador.
Estevão Willian Position
When it comes to tactics, Estêvão is like a free-roaming playmaker but on the attack.
His role involves getting involved in possession a lot, particularly in the half-spaces, where he can link up the midfield and the attack.
This means he can influence the game from the centre and the wings, making him a great asset to coaches.
He can drift between lines and find those pockets of space, allowing him to create and score.
Estêvão can get past defenders 1v1 with his stop-motion dribbling and body feints, which often leave opponents off balance.
He doesn’t stick to one position, either — he plays a free-attacking role, spotting weaknesses in the other team’s defence and exploiting them.
Estêvão’s ability to combine with teammates in tight spaces makes him a natural fit in systems that focus on retaining possession of the ball.
Chelsea‘s acquisition of the young Brazilian reflects their long-term vision and investment in young talent.
The club has no plans to loan him out after he arrives.
Instead, the plan is to integrate him directly into the first team, which shows their confidence that he can adapt to the demands of European football.
The decision to keep him at Stamford Bridge shows just how much faith Chelsea’s coaching staff have in his talent and versatility.
While Chelsea have a lot of high-quality attacking options, Estêvão has a unique profile that sets him apart.
His technical mastery, low centre of gravity and vision make him the perfect candidate for the “No. 10” role.
His agent, Andre Cury, says Chelsea see him as a central attacking midfielder — a position in which he can showcase his creativity and flair.
Chelsea’s play suits his skill set, allowing him to dictate play, create chances, and exploit gaps in the opposition’s defence with his dynamic movement.
Even though Chelsea have faith in him, it won’t be easy for him to fit in with the star-studded team.
The attacking midfield and wide forward positions are among the most competitive at the club.
Players like João Félix and Palmer are creative, while Mudryk and Madueke are fast and possess good dribbling skills.
To earn a regular spot, Estêvão will need to quickly adjust to the intensity and physicality of the Premier League.
Chelsea’s decision to focus on his development as a “No. 10” might be the key to success.
Playing in the middle would mean less direct competition with the wingers and would allow Estêvão to showcase his vision and playmaking skills.
Moreover, the tactical flexibility he’s shown at Palmeiras — able to drift wide, operate in the half-spaces, and occasionally play as a second striker — means he could provide solutions across multiple attacking roles.
Estevão Willian Role In Build-Up
Estêvão’s a smart player, constantly finding space and creating passing options.
He’s excellent at dropping deep to collect the ball, using his first touch and ball control to avoid pressure.
His left foot allows him to play incisive passes, break lines and set up advanced attacking moves.
He has a great eye for where the play is going and is really calm on the ball, which helps him dictate the pace of the game, especially when he’s in the half-spaces.
In deeper roles, Estêvão often acts as a transition link between defence and attack, facilitating quick one-twos and providing a reliable outlet for teammates under pressure.
He’s an absolute whiz at outwitting the opposition’s defenders with his subtle moves, especially when they’re playing a high press.
Even when the opposition tries to shut him down, he still remains a key player in the build-up.
Estêvão’s link-up play is excellent.
He loves making quick one-twos with his teammates and does it with real flair.
The creator also has a good understanding of where to be on the pitch.
He utilises his ability to link up with his teammates effectively and positions himself between defenders and the ball to receive it.
The 17-year-old is great at getting the ball to the other team’s back line, either through through-balls or switching up the play, and he’s really good at taking on the full-back to attack.
He’s quite astute about when to release the ball after receiving a pass wide or advancing via a dribble, although his passing range isn’t particularly impressive.
Estêvão usually goes for easy and secure passes, preferring short passes to mid or long-range ones.
Estevão Willian Role In Final Third
Estêvão is a real game-changer in the attacking third. He’s super dynamic, and you can never predict what he’ll do.
His dribbling ability, which involves quick direction changes and intricate footwork, allows him to take on multiple defenders.
He’s a total pro at creating separation from his markers, often using stop-motion dribbling to unbalance opponents before bursting into dangerous areas.
He has real confidence about him, and he’s always trying those audacious solo runs and skill moves, which is impressive for a guy his age.
As a scorer, Estêvão can score spectacular goals from distance, thanks to his powerful and precise left foot.
His technique is impressive, with an ability to hit the ball with great power and accuracy, whether in open play or set pieces.
He’s also a great scorer and a top creator, thanks to his incisive passes and crosses into the box.
The youngster gets a lot of space and timing right, and he can draw defenders out of position to create opportunities for his teammates.
Estêvão is not afraid to shoot, and he has a good technique for it.
Chelsea also have a good set-piece taker coming in Estêvão.
He’s a pro at taking penalties and free-kicks, no matter how far away the goal is.
The Palmeiras man has a great mix of strength and precision when he’s on the ball.
It feels like he’s always aiming for the perfect-placed shot, and when he gets it right, it’s spectacular.
He has a real knack for maintaining his body balance, which allows him to create separation and evade pressure in all sorts of situations.
He’s a strong dribbler, and he beats his markers well.
The way he uses his shoulder drops and carries the ball often makes his direct opponent lunge for possession.
The Brazilian teenager’s acceleration and ability to change his body orientation, coupled with the drop of his shoulder, enable him to evade any opposition, making him quite capable of working past his direct opponent.
He’s undoubtedly an exciting player, and his future looks bright.
Estevão Willian Role In Defending
Because of this, it’s sometimes easy to forget that he’s still a player at an early stage of development.
The 17-year-old is really coming into his own, but he hasn’t played at a high level for the first team yet.
One clear thing is that he needs to work on his physical development if he wants to compete at the highest level for a Premier League club.
At 17, some of this will come naturally.
However, he’ll still need to do specific training to understand what his body can and can’t handle at this stage of his career.
And on the pitch, he’s got to work on his defensive skills and aerial ability.
Estêvão is already showing an enormous willingness to close down opponents and help in the defensive phase.
The improvement here is more about selecting the right duels and refining the timing of tackles and jumps to compete for the ball.
When it comes to defending, Estêvão still has some work to do.
He’s smart enough to read the game and intercept passes, but his physical limitations and lack of defensive efficiency sometimes leave him exposed in high-intensity matches.
He’s inconsistent when it comes to pressing, often not aggressive or tenacious enough to disrupt the opposition’s build-ups effectively.
The good news is that this player is quite aware of tactics and eager to get back and help out, so he’ll get there.
Coaches should ensure he knows where to be on the pitch and work on his defensive skills to maximise his potential.
Given his age, there’s plenty of room for improvement in this area.
Conclusion
Estêvão Willian’s move to Chelsea is not just the next step in his career – it’s the gateway to global recognition.
His journey so far has been a testament to his immense talent and resilience.
It has been marked by record-breaking performances and his adoration of Brazilian football.
Chelsea’s faith in his ability to transition seamlessly into European football is a testament to their belief in his status as a future superstar.
The English Premier League is tough, and it’s not easy to succeed here, but Estêvão’s got what it takes.
With the proper management, the support of his teammates, and his own indomitable spirit, Estevao Willian could very well become the cornerstone of Chelsea’s attacking play for years to come, fulfilling his dream of becoming the best player in the world.
