‘Don’t call me little Messi; Neymar is my idol’ – Chelsea wonderkid Estevao

Chelsea’s teenage sensation, Estevao Willian, has revealed that compatriot Neymar is his shot idol, portion admitting that helium and his household ne'er liked the nickname “Messinho” (Little Messi) fixed to him during his aboriginal years successful Brazil.

The 17-year-old made headlines implicit the play aft scoring his archetypal extremity for Chelsea, netting a precocious victor to seal a 2-1 triumph implicit champions Liverpool astatine Stamford Bridge.

Speaking with FourFourTwo, Estevao said his admiration for Neymar began early:

He said, “I lone knew astir Nike due to the fact that of Neymar.”

“He was my idol increasing up, and helium wore Nike boots erstwhile helium played for Santos. But I was excessively young to truly recognize what signing with Nike really meant. In my head, I conscionable thought I’d beryllium getting escaped boots each month. I had nary thought however large the marque was globally. When they told maine I’d beryllium wearing the aforesaid boots arsenic Neymar, I was implicit the moon.”

Despite his admiration for Neymar, Estevão’s left-footed flair earned him a nickname inspired by Barcelona fable Lionel Messi, a sanction helium says helium ne'er embraced.

“I don’t retrieve who came up with it, but it conscionable caught connected consecutive away,” helium said.

“Neither I nor my household ever liked it much. Sometimes a nickname similar that becomes a load you didn’t inquire for. You conscionable privation to play football, to bash what you emotion – but that benignant of statement adds a unit that’s not yours. Thankfully, I was capable to permission it down erstwhile I moved to Palmeiras.”

The Brazilian starlet besides revealed that helium began learning English 18 months ago, agelong earlier joining Chelsea, driven by a tendency to hole for the future.

“Long earlier I accepted Chelsea’s offer, I told my parents I wanted to larn English.

“Even though I didn’t cognize I’d extremity up successful England, I knew it was a accomplishment I’d request successful the future. Sometimes, it’s been hard to acceptable them successful with the schedule.

“I similar look to face, but I’ve done them online if I’ve had to.”

“I privation to settee quickly. It’s a imagination travel existent to play successful the biggest competitions, the Premier League and the Champions League. The 2026 World Cup is simply a extremity too, but first, I person to beryllium myself astatine Chelsea.”

The station ‘Don’t telephone maine small Messi; Neymar is my idol’ – Chelsea wonderkid Estevao appeared archetypal connected Vanguard News.