Revealed: Lionel Messi's classy gesture to Chelsea's new £28m wonderkid Willian Estevao - as fans claim the 'mantle is passed on'
Lionel Messi has endorsed an incoming Chelsea wonderkid as one of his successors on the world stage, fans believe.
The Inter Miami hero linked up with Palmeiras youngster Willian Estevao at half-time during their 2-2 draw at the Club World Cup.
Estevao, 18, will join Chelsea in July after agreeing a £28million deal to move all the way back last summer.
The Brazilian, dubbed 'Messinho' ('little Messi'), has scored 26 goals over the last two seasons and already has a league title and five international caps under his belt.
Fans were delighted to see Messi and Estevao swap shirts at half-time in their clash, believing it shows how the eight-time Ballon d'Or winner is happy to bless a potential future world dominator.
'The mantle is passed on,' said one fan on X.
'Changing of the guard,' another said.
'That's a precious gift that Estevao will cherish for the rest of his life, so cool,' one commented.
'Greatness recognises future greatness,' another said.
Others, however, were less than impressed with the act of trading shirts when the dance was only halfway done.
'"Swapped shirts at half time" utter woke nonsense,' one complained.
It is not unusual for players to wear a different, clean shirt in the second half, meaning the swap at half-time was possible.
Estevao also switched shirts with Luis Suarez, who was on the scoresheet along with Tadeo Allende as Inter Miami went 2-0 ahead before late goals from Palmeiras' Paulinho and Mauricio.
Both sides qualified for the last 16 of the Club World Cup, with porto and Al-Ahly crashing out.
Estavao has caught plenty of eyes for his exploits in Brazil, with many thinking he can lead the next generation for the country along with Endrick.
🇺🇾🇧🇷 Jersey swap between Luis Suarez and Estêvão! 💫
pic.twitter.com/FgnZaPNbQ1
— Goals Side (@goalsside) June 24, 2025
Coach Abel Ferreira said in March: 'He is different from anything I've ever seen in football. He knows how to attack, defend, take the game on, dribble.
'He's focused, he has a good family, everyone cares for him at the club and the older players talk to him a lot.'
'Estevao is the best player to have emerged from Brazilian football since Neymar,' Joao Paulo Sampaio, the head of Palmeiras' academy, told BBC Sport. 'You watch him and you fall in love.
'He already impresses with his technique but, like Neymar at this same point in his career, he has not yet matured physically and is not as strong as Endrick, so he could still develop a lot. That's what amazes everyone and makes them think that he will reach a much higher level.'
Just like Messi, he has a wand of a left foot, and like the Argentine and his compatriot Neymar, traffic on the pitch does not seem to faze the young right winger. He is known for his confidence on the ball and willingness to take on defences.
Estevao has superb ball control which allows him to play as an attacking midfielder at times, but his best asset is his exciting ball-carrying ability, aided by his pace, which comes in handy on the wing.
The controls he makes are incredible and his speed with the ball is amazing, Sampaio told AS. 'The Palmeiras photographer took a sequence of 100 photos of him running with the ball and in all of them he came out with the ball stuck to his left foot.'
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
South Wales Argus
32 minutes ago
- South Wales Argus
Chelsea book Club World Cup quarter-final spot after long weather delay
The Blues were just four minutes away from victory in normal time in Charlotte after a stunning Reece James free-kick when a thunderstorm forced the players off the field. After a stoppage of almost two hours, Angel Di Maria equalised from the penalty spot but Chelsea roused themselves in extra-time after the Portuguese giants had Gianluca Prestianni sent off. Christopher Nkunku struck from close range in the 108th minute before further goals from Pedro Neto and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall wrapped up a deserved triumph, four hours and 38 minutes after kick-off at the Bank of America Stadium. And breathe. Up the Chels!!! 💙 — Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) June 29, 2025 Enzo Maresca's side will face Palmeiras in the last eight in Philadelphia on Friday after their defeat of Brazilian rivals Botafogo earlier on Saturday. Influential midfielder Moises Caicedo will not be available after he was booked in the second half in North Carolina. Chelsea dominated the majority of the game, but failed to make the most of a succession of chances in the first half. Marc Cucurella curled a shot around goalkeeper Anatoliy Trubin but Antonio Silva reacted quickly to head off the line. Trubin then tipped an effort round the post from Cole Palmer before smothering another attempt from Cucurella. Players walk off the field for a weather delay during the Club World Cup round of 16 soccer match between Benfica and Chelsea in Charlotte, North Carolina (Chris Carlson/AP) A rare attack from Benfica was thwarted when James blocked an Andreas Schjelderup shot but Palmer was similarly frustrated by the impressive Silva at the other end. Chelsea carried their momentum into the second half but a Palmer cross was deflected away from goal by Nicolas Otamendi and Caicedo drove wide. Chelsea finally got the reward their superiority deserved as James chanced his arm from a set-piece on 64 minutes. The Blues skipper appeared to be lining up to cross from wide on the left but instead whipped a curling right-foot shot over the two-man wall and inside the near post. Benfica tried to respond and Evangelos Pavlidis appealed for a penalty after a tussle with Benoit Badiashile but nothing was given. Liam Delap put the ball in the net for Chelsea but was flagged offside. The game had largely been played in sweltering heat, but as a storm neared in the closing minutes, play was suspended. Chelsea's Christopher Nkunku scores his side's second goal (Nell Redmond/AP) It became the latest of a series of games in the tournament to be paused due to the weather. The players were pictured during the enforced break kicking a ball and exercising in the dressing room. The stoppage worked to Benfica's benefit as they won a penalty when Otamendi's nod down brushed the arm of Malo Gusto and was harshly ruled as a penalty. Di Maria made no mistake from the spot – his fourth successful penalty of the tournament – to force extra-time. Benfica were reduced to 10 men when Prestianni received a second booking for a foul on Levi Colwill. Chelsea took control and went close when Palmer had a shot saved by Trubin, but Sanchez needed to be alert to deny Di Maria moments later. Nkunku broke through when he struck at the second attempt after an initial effort was blocked by Otamendi and Neto and Dewsbury-Hall added gloss to the scoreline.
The Independent
36 minutes ago
- The Independent
Enzo Maresca ‘very proud' as Chelsea book last-eight berth
Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca was proud of his team after beating Benfica in extraordinary, weather-hit circumstances to reach the Club World Cup quarter-finals. The Blues eventually ran out 4-1 winners after extra-time in a last-16 tie in Charlotte which was suspended for almost two hours due to a thunderstorm. Chelsea had been just four minutes away from victory following Reece James's stunning free-kick when the players were taken off the field at the Bank of America Stadium. Benfica benefited from the break and forced extra-time with a controversial Angel Di Maria penalty after play finally resumed. The game swung back in Chelsea's favour after the Portuguese giants had Gianluca Prestianni sent off and Christopher Nkunku gave them a decisive lead. Breakaway goals from Pedro Neto and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall wrapped up the win. Maresca told DAZN: 'I'm very proud. The performance for me was top until the last five minutes when they stopped the game, and when we restarted (it was) a completely a different game. 'When you are inside for more than one hour it's not easy but, 1-1, we continued to play and, at the end, I think the reward was one that we deserve.' The players were pictured riding exercise bikes and kicking balls in the dressing room during the enforced break. Maresca said: 'Especially when it's 85 minutes, five minutes to go, it's very difficult. 'But we tried to keep them in the best way we could in that moment and, at the end, we are in the last eight teams here in this competition and we are very happy.' Chelsea will return to Philadelphia, where they played two group games, to face Brazilian side Palmeiras in the quarter-finals on Friday. 'Now we need to recover players, recover the energy and go again,' said Maresca. Moises Caicedo delivered an influential performance but will miss the next game after being booked for a second time in the tournament. Caicedo said of the team's prospects: 'We believe. We know this a tough tournament but, the thing is, we're working hard and doing well. At the end, we're going to see why we (are still) here.' Reflecting on the weather delay, the Ecuadorian said: 'We were talking in the dressing room. The thing was (to stay) focused the whole game. I'm so happy because we did it.'
The Herald Scotland
41 minutes ago
- The Herald Scotland
Chelsea book Club World Cup quarter-final spot after long weather delay
After a stoppage of almost two hours, Angel Di Maria equalised from the penalty spot but Chelsea roused themselves in extra-time after the Portuguese giants had Gianluca Prestianni sent off. Christopher Nkunku struck from close range in the 108th minute before further goals from Pedro Neto and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall wrapped up a deserved triumph, four hours and 38 minutes after kick-off at the Bank of America Stadium. And breathe. Up the Chels!!! 💙 — Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) June 29, 2025 Enzo Maresca's side will face Palmeiras in the last eight in Philadelphia on Friday after their defeat of Brazilian rivals Botafogo earlier on Saturday. Influential midfielder Moises Caicedo will not be available after he was booked in the second half in North Carolina. Chelsea dominated the majority of the game, but failed to make the most of a succession of chances in the first half. Marc Cucurella curled a shot around goalkeeper Anatoliy Trubin but Antonio Silva reacted quickly to head off the line. Trubin then tipped an effort round the post from Cole Palmer before smothering another attempt from Cucurella. Players walk off the field for a weather delay during the Club World Cup round of 16 soccer match between Benfica and Chelsea in Charlotte, North Carolina (Chris Carlson/AP) A rare attack from Benfica was thwarted when James blocked an Andreas Schjelderup shot but Palmer was similarly frustrated by the impressive Silva at the other end. Chelsea carried their momentum into the second half but a Palmer cross was deflected away from goal by Nicolas Otamendi and Caicedo drove wide. Chelsea finally got the reward their superiority deserved as James chanced his arm from a set-piece on 64 minutes. The Blues skipper appeared to be lining up to cross from wide on the left but instead whipped a curling right-foot shot over the two-man wall and inside the near post. Benfica tried to respond and Evangelos Pavlidis appealed for a penalty after a tussle with Benoit Badiashile but nothing was given. Liam Delap put the ball in the net for Chelsea but was flagged offside. The game had largely been played in sweltering heat, but as a storm neared in the closing minutes, play was suspended. Chelsea's Christopher Nkunku scores his side's second goal (Nell Redmond/AP) It became the latest of a series of games in the tournament to be paused due to the weather. The players were pictured during the enforced break kicking a ball and exercising in the dressing room. The stoppage worked to Benfica's benefit as they won a penalty when Otamendi's nod down brushed the arm of Malo Gusto and was harshly ruled as a penalty. Di Maria made no mistake from the spot – his fourth successful penalty of the tournament – to force extra-time. Benfica were reduced to 10 men when Prestianni received a second booking for a foul on Levi Colwill. Chelsea took control and went close when Palmer had a shot saved by Trubin, but Sanchez needed to be alert to deny Di Maria moments later. Nkunku broke through when he struck at the second attempt after an initial effort was blocked by Otamendi and Neto and Dewsbury-Hall added gloss to the scoreline.
