Estêvão Willian

Brazilian footballer (born 2007)

Estêvão Willian
Estêvão Willian (2024)
Personal information
Full name Estêvão Willian Almeida de Oliveira Gonçalves
Date of birth (2007-04-24) 24 April 2007 (age 17)
Place of birth Franca, Brazil
Height 1.70 m (5 ft 7 in)
Position(s) Winger
Team information
Current team
 Palmeiras
Number 41
Youth career
2017–2021 Cruzeiro
2021– Palmeiras
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2023– Palmeiras 6 (0)
International career‡
2023– Brazil U17 5 (3)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 12 April 2024
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 17 November 2023

Estêvão Willian Almeida de Oliveira Gonçalves (born 24 April 2007), known as Messinho or Estêvão, is a Brazilian footballer who plays as a winger for Campeonato Brasileiro Série A club Palmeiras.

Club career

Estêvão Willian was born in Franca, Brazil, and began his youth career with the academy of Cruzeiro in 2017.[1] He originally used the nickname 'Messinho' as an homage to Lionel Messi, due to similarities in their playing style.[2] The following year 2018 at the age of 10, Estêvão signed a professional contract with Nike, making him their youngest Brazilian player to sign with the company, surpassing Rodrygo Goes.[3] He moved to the youth academy of Palmeiras on 6 May 2021, signing a trainee contract.[4] In the 2022 season, he helped the Palmeiras youth teams win the Campeonato Paulista Sub-17 [pt], Campeonato Paulista Sub-15 [pt], Copa do Brasil Sub-17 and Campeonato Brasileiro Sub-17.[5] In October 2023, he scored a hat-trick in the Campeonato Brasileiro Sub-17 final which ended in a 3–0 victory against São Paulo, to help his club to achieve their second consecutive title in the competition.[6]

On 7 December 2023, Estêvão made his professional debut for Palmeiras, coming off the bench in the 78th minute of a 1–1 draw away at Cruzeiro which sealed the Série A title win for Verdão.[7] At 16 years and 8 months, he became the club's fourth youngest player ever.[8]

Estêvão came back to the Palmeiras U-20 team for the Copinha 2024, and became a notable player of the competition and a primary player for the team in the competition.

International career

Estêvão Willian was first called up to represent the Brazil U17s in October 2022 for a set of friendlies in October 2022.[9]

Honours

Club

Palmeiras (youth)

Palmeiras (senior)

References

  1. ^ "Joia da base do Cruzeiro, Estevão Willian deixa o clube e tem nome registrado no Palmeiras". ge.
  2. ^ ""My dream is to be like Messi and play for Barcelona"". www.besoccer.com.
  3. ^ "Joia da base do Palmeiras, Estevão Willian renova contrato com empresa de material esportivo". Lance!.
  4. ^ "Estevão Willian, o Messinho, deixa Cruzeiro e assina com o Palmeiras - Superesportes". Superesportes. 6 May 2021.
  5. ^ "PSG sinaliza investida de mais de R$ 400 milhões por Endrick e Estêvão; Palmeiras quer mais". ge.globo.com (in Portuguese). 21 November 2022.
  6. ^ "¡Exhibición de 'Messinho': 'hat-trick' y título para el Palmeiras!" (in Spanish). Mundo Deportivo. 22 October 2023.
  7. ^ "Palmeiras conquista segundo título brasileiro consecutivo e amplia hegemonia com 12 no total" [Palmeiras wins second consecutive Brazilian title and expands hegemony with 12 in total] (in Brazilian Portuguese). Sociedade Esportiva Palmeiras. 7 December 2023. Retrieved 3 January 2024.
  8. ^ "Estêvão entra no ranking dos mais jovens a fazerem estreia profissional pelo Palmeiras; veja top 10" [Estêvão enters the ranking of the youngest to make professional debut for Palmeiras; see the top 10]. ESPN (in Brazilian Portuguese). 8 December 2023. Retrieved 3 January 2024.
  9. ^ "Palmeiras tem três jogadores convocados para a Seleção Brasileira". 19 October 2022.

External links

  • Estevão Willian at playmakerstats.com (English version of ogol.com.br)
  • Palmeiras profile
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SE Palmeiras – current squad