Brazilian prodigy Estêvão Willian has stirred debate following his recent actions on the pitch. While some Chelsea supporters criticized him for showing poor judgment, others admired his competitive edge—suggesting his eventual arrival at Stamford Bridge may be met with a mix of skepticism and excitement.
Estêvão’s equalizer against Chelsea was a moment of sheer quality. Closely marked by Marc Cucurella near the right flank, he unleashed a stunning right-footed strike from a difficult angle. The ball ricocheted off the crossbar and flew past goalkeeper Robert Sánchez, making it 1-1. The 70,000 fans in attendance erupted, and Palmeiras’ official X account hailed it as a “golaço.”
However, what captured more attention than the goal was Estêvão’s celebration. Instead of acknowledging his future club with restraint, he ran toward the Palmeiras crowd, cupped his ears, and struck Cole Palmer’s signature “cold” pose—arms crossed, gazing coolly at the audience. The gesture, once seen as a tribute to Palmer after Estêvão’s Chelsea signing, was now viewed by many as a provocative act.
Reactions online were divided. Some Chelsea fans were incensed. One commented, “You don’t celebrate like that against your future team!” Another remarked, “That’s not the kind of mentality we need at Chelsea,” questioning his commitment. Yet others defended the teenager: “He’s just 18, playing for his boyhood club—let him have his moment. He’ll be in Blue soon enough.”
The incident has sparked broader debate. For some, the celebration was disrespectful given his upcoming move to Chelsea. For others, it was simply a passionate display from a young star savoring one of his final games for Palmeiras.
Adding to the intensity, Estêvão—nicknamed “Messinho” for his flair reminiscent of Neymar—has previously been criticized in Brazil for struggling in big games. Analyst Paulo Vinicius Coelho once claimed he only scored against weaker sides. But Estêvão’s impressive showing against Chelsea, including two man-of-the-match performances during the tournament, has quieted many of his doubters.
Nonetheless, Chelsea supporters remain wary—especially after Estêvão told TNT Sports that staying focused on Palmeiras while thinking about Chelsea was “really hard.” Some Palmeiras fans had even called for him to be benched, believing his mind was elsewhere. But manager Abel Ferreira continued to back him, urging Estêvão to give Palmeiras a strong send-off.
For Chelsea, the frustration was compounded by a 3-1 group-stage defeat to Flamengo and a missed opportunity earlier in the match from Christopher Nkunku. Head coach Enzo Maresca, who had downplayed Estêvão’s potential threat before the game, looked visibly surprised by both the goal and celebration.
Ironically, Estêvão used Palmer’s own celebration—after the two had shared friendly exchanges online, with Palmer once calling him a “star.” This only deepened the intrigue. While some wonder if the gesture could create tension with Palmer or others in the squad, others argue it shows Estêvão has the swagger needed to thrive in the Premier League, where he’ll compete with Palmer, Noni Madueke, and Pedro Neto.
Estêvão’s expressive, fearless celebration reflects his playful view of football as a stage for entertainment. Whether Chelsea fans will embrace that energy or demand more humility remains to be seen—but one thing is clear: his journey at Stamford Bridge is already drawing strong reactions.