Estêvão Ready To Rival Lamine Yamal In Battle Of The Teenage Prodigies

Comparisons mean small to Estêvão Willian. The Brazil winger did not moreover return kindly to being nicknamed Messinho – “Little Messi” – earlier successful his career. He called nan nickname “disruptive” and made clear that he had nary liking successful trying to beryllium personification else. “I don’t for illustration comparisons,” nan 18-year-old told ESPN Brasil past year. “For those who don’t cognize really to woody pinch it, it’s rather disruptive. Me being Estêvão is very good.”

Chelsea nary uncertainty agree. After all, guidance defenders aside, who could perchance kick astir Estêvão conscionable being Estêvão? Not for thing is he wide tipped to triumph nan Ballon d’Or 1 day. The teenager’s talent is outrageous, his commencement to life successful England has been amended than expected and, though nan evident consequence pinch heaping excessively overmuch praise connected a young imaginable is that it makes them return their oculus disconnected nan ball, it is telling that those who cognize Estêvão opportunity 1 of nan qualities that group him isolated is his character.

Enzo Maresca, Chelsea’s caput coach, does not interest astir nan Brazilian losing focus. For Chelsea, nan interest is much astir protecting Estêvão from burnout arsenic he adjusts to nan physicality of nan Premier League. He has made only 7 starts successful each competitions since his £52m move from Palmeiras past summertime and goes into his first gathering pinch Lamine Yamal knowing location is overmuch to beryllium earlier he tin beryllium held successful nan aforesaid respect arsenic Barcelona’s 18-year-old winger.

For each that Estêvão dislikes being compared to different players, nan similarities pinch Lamine Yamal are striking. Both are left-footed, some play connected nan correct and some emotion thing much than taking a full-back to nan cleaners. Both are devastating erstwhile they trim wrong to present inswinging crosses aliases whip shots towards nan acold corner, but neither tin beryllium accused of being predictable. Estêvão, for instance, was astatine his imaginative champion erstwhile he came connected during Chelsea’s triumph against Wolves this month, driving down nan extracurricular and utilizing his correct ft to trim nan shot backmost for João Pedro to score. Itwas an electrifying cameo.

Chelsea person fallen difficult for Estêvão. The fans emotion him and Stamford Bridge erupted erstwhile he scored his first convention extremity successful melodramatic circumstances, sliding successful astatine nan acold station to container a stoppage-time victor against Liverpool past month. This is intelligibly a subordinate pinch an oculus for nan spectacular, which is why Maresca whitethorn spot him to commencement erstwhile Barcelona sojourn successful nan Champions League connected Tuesday night.

Estêvão was Chelsea’s stoppage clip leader erstwhile he popped up to people nan victor against Liverpool. Photograph: Darren Walsh/Chelsea FC/Getty Images

Do not expect Estêvão, who has 4 goals for Chelsea truthful far, to beryllium overawed. He is already a starter for Brazil – he scored doubly for his state during this month’s world break – and would beryllium making his 100th quality astatine nine level if he plays against Barça.

However, it is worthy remembering that Estêvão has not had arsenic overmuch vulnerability to elite title arsenic Lamine Yamal, contempt being 3 months older than nan Spaniard. Chelsea person not been successful a rush. They agreed their woody pinch Palmeiras successful May 2024 but allowed Estêvão to enactment pinch nan Brazilian nine for different twelvemonth and correspond them astatine nan Club World Cup past summer, meaning overmuch of his shot has been played successful South America, wherever nan title is fierce but still not arsenic demanding arsenic successful Europe.

Lamine Yamal, by contrast, has been competing astatine nan very apical since nan start. He turned 17 a time earlier he helped Spain to hit England successful nan Euro 2024 final, played a starring domiciled successful Barcelona winning La Liga past play and vanished 2nd to Ousmane Dembélé successful nan Ballon d’Or this year.

“Both of them are very typical players,” said Marc Cucurella, who plays pinch Estêvão astatine nine level and Lamine Yamal for Spain. “They ever want nan ball. The only quality is that Lamine has been playing successful Europe for possibly 2 aliases 3 seasons and Estêvão arrived this play – but he’s doing really well. If he continues improving he tin beryllium astatine Lamine’s level.”

Estêvão, seen present during a training convention connected Monday, has already fixed nan Premier League a sensation of what he tin do. Photograph: Darren Walsh/Chelsea FC/Getty Images

There is possibly much extent to Lamine Yamal’s crippled astatine nan moment. The dribbles are much inventive, much bewitching, and location are times erstwhile his crosses and passing defy logic. Chelsea, though, spot Estêvão processing into a playmaker tin of operating arsenic a No 10 and will besides statement that location person been questions astir Lamine Yamal’s behaviour distant from nan transportation this season. Cucurella touched connected that, saying location whitethorn person been hints of nan Barça prima “perhaps being a small much distracted”.

There was, of course, contention astir Lamine Yamal withdrawing from nan Spain squad this month. Injuries person taken a toll. A groin problem has troubled Lamine Yamal, though he looked backmost to his champion erstwhile he produced 2 assists during Barcelona’s 4-0 triumph against Athletic Bilbao past Saturday.

It falls to Cucurella to support his world teammate quiet connected Tuesday night. It is simply a gangly bid but Chelsea will backmost themselves. Barcelona are superb successful onslaught but they springiness up chances and drew 3-3 pinch Club Brugge successful their erstwhile Champions League game. Maresca, who said Cole Palmer is backmost successful training arsenic he recovers from a surgery toe, will deliberation astir really to target nan Spanish side’s precocious line.

Making usage of Estêvão’s wizardry connected nan correct is 1 measurement to go. Chelsea will backmost him to outshine Lamine Yamal. The inheritance checks were thorough erstwhile they were scouting him. They loved his talent but they besides loved nan youngster’s family. Estêvão, nan boy of a pastor, has been brought up well. It is why he does not attraction excessively overmuch astir measuring himself against others.