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Who would have thought that two Brazilian clubs would reach the Club World Cup quarter-finals? If Fluminense beat Al-Hilal in Orlando on Friday and Palmeiras get the better of Chelsea a few hours later in Philadelphia, one of them will make it to the final. Chelsea have already been embarrassed by one Brazilian side at the tournament – they were trounced 3-1 by Flamengo a fortnight ago in the group stage – but they are still favourites to beat Palmeiras in the quarter-finals.
The English side came out on top when the teams met in the final of the Club World Cup three years ago, winning 2-1 thanks to a 117th-minute penalty converted by Kai Havertz. At that point, a young prodigy known as “Messinho”, or little Messi, was taking his first steps in the Palmeiras academy having joined from Cruzeiro. When the teams meet again on Friday night, Estêvão Willian will be the central focus. The 18-year-old is inextricably linked to both clubs, having turned professional at one before agreeing to join the other in a deal that could be worth up to £52m.
Having signed a deal to join Chelsea a year ago, Estêvão travelled to the Club World Cup knowing that Palmeiras’ last game in the United States would also be his last before he crosses the Atlantic. The teenager has admitted that he has struggled to focus on the task at hand. “It’s very difficult,” he said. “It’s a dream that I’m going to fulfil, but knowing that I have to focus here, that I have to work, it’s not easy. The closer it gets, the anxiety hits. I’m trying to focus as much as possible, and leave well, through the front door, knowing that I gave my best for Palmeiras.”
In an era when players are media trained into mumbling tedious and unrevealing soundbites, this was a welcome and rare example of a high-profile player being vulnerable and speaking his mind. Unsurprisingly, however, in another sign of the times, he was criticised for admitting that his mind might be elsewhere, which forced the Palmeiras manager to leap to his defence.
“It’s normal,” said Abel Ferreira. “What distinguishes us from the animals? Feelings and emotions. It’s normal to be nervous, normal for a boy to have a dream. He’s so pure and such a young lad. To be 18 and say what he feels is normal but a large part [of the media and fans] slaughtered him. That’s what you do to players. That’s what sells, the blood. You make money one way and we make money another.”
There is a perception in Brazil that Estêvão has not delivered for Palmeiras in his very limited time in the first team and could leave the club still not having bossed a big game – especially when compared to Endrick, the last phenom to emerge at the São Paulo club. Popular Brazilian pundit Paulo Vinicius Coelho, widely known as PVC, points out that, whereas Endrick lifted two Brazilian league titles and scored the goal that won the title in 2023 before joining Real Madrid, Estêvão is still waiting for a game that defines his time at Palmeiras.
“If Estêvão goes to Chelsea without deciding the game, we are used to hearing that he doesn’t score against the rivals in the biggest matches,” says PVC. “He scores against Cuiabá, against Juventude, against small clubs, but he doesn’t score against Santos, Corinthians, São Paulo, Flamengo, Botafogo, Porto, Al-Ahly, Inter Miami, or Chelsea. Playing against Chelsea is very important. Where is his mind? He needs to work on his mentality. If he fails on Saturday, many Palmeiras fans will say he didn’t have his head in the game.”
PVC is quick to add that Estêvão is “the most intelligent player at Palmeiras” and that “when it comes to his skills, nobody argues about that”. Henrique Rojas, a lifelong matchgoing Palmeiras fan, agrees and adds that he is “by far the most skilled” player that has come through the academy in decades.
“He has speed, dribbling and spatial intelligence that is above average – but he’s still only 18 and still needs to improve a lot,” says Rojas. “He needs to get stronger physically and improve his finishing. These are the reasons he hasn’t really shone in the big games yet – in addition to the fact that he became the country’s biggest name in one year and has been heavily marked ever since. But he’s a good kid, he’s never slacked off and has a bright future. As this is his last tournament before leaving, he is anxious. Both Abel and the squad are shielding him from criticism and he will have another chance to show his best.”
Even if Estêvão can work some magic, there is no doubt that Chelsea are the favourites. “Palmeiras are not in the best form,” says PVC. “They were better two months ago than they are today. Beating a big rival in a big game is the key to kicking on, and they need to prove themselves.” Rojas agrees. “Although Chelsea are inconsistent under Maresca, they are the favourites,” he says. “Just look at the players’ values and the fact they are in the most powerful league in the world. It’s 60/40 for Chelsea, but that’s the beauty of cup games – one detail changes everything.”
If Palmeiras pull off their heist of the century so far, Ferreira will face even more jokes about how his team defies the odds so often. The manager – whose rousing team talks and press conferences are something to behold – has been teased by rival fans about the dark arts he must practise to pull off so many shocks.
“Rivals joke that he ‘sacrifices animals’ and has a ‘pact with the devil’ because Palmeiras have managed to mount comebacks in many games that seemed lost,” says Rojas. “But the truth is that to limit him to just a motivational coach is nonsense. Abel has changed the team in so many ways and different moments that it is impossible not to respect him. He is one of the greatest coaches in the club’s history, if not the greatest, and he achieved all this in just five years. He decides everything related to football at the club and he is a rare unanimous choice for a fanbase that is always dissatisfied. He is a kind of Simeone at Atlético Madrid.
“Some fans criticise his ‘inventions’ – such as playing with double full-backs or persisting with players in bad form – but every coach has that. Palmeiras have offered him another contract until the end of 2027 and, deep down, no Palmeiras fan wants him to leave. The passion between Abel and Palmeiras is one of the most beautiful things that has ever happened and we will always be by his side.”
Palmeiras fans know they cannot stop Estêvão from leaving but they worry that Chelsea is not the “ideal destination” for the youngster. “Chelsea are a team with many ups and downs,” says Rojas. “They are signing a lot of young players but they fire coaches and lack experienced players who can help players like Estêvão in their day-to-day life. All this without mentioning the difference of living in another country and facing a harsh winter. He is a person, not a machine. Perhaps the Spanish league or a team like Arsenal would be more natural for him.”
PVC also has “doubts” about Chelsea. “Chelsea bought three young Brazilian players before: Deivid Washington who went back to Santos; Ângelo, who went to Strasbourg; and André Santos, who returned from Strasbourg to Chelsea but he has only played a few minutes in the Club World Cup. Estêvão is too young for a club that is in a new phase. I don’t think it’s the best decision, but young Brazilian players always want to go to Europe as quickly as possible.”
This is an article by Tom Sanderson
