Having established himself in Palmeiras' first team, Estevao continued to attract attention – now from far beyond the borders of Brazil.
At the end of the 2024 Brazilian league season, after a match against Fluminense, he met Thiago Silva.
Fresh from ending a four-year spell at Chelsea, Silva told BBC Sport about their conversation – and the message he decided to give him.
"The experience of playing for Chelsea and living in London will be unforgettable for me and for my family," he said.
"I told Estevao that the club likes to work with and develop young players and that he could use that to make the most of the opportunity."
Estevao and his family felt the club genuinely wanted him, believed in his potential and were offering a clear pathway for his development – something especially important for a player so young.
"I kept telling him that English football is one of the most competitive there is," said owner of his first youth team Serginho. "Estevao does not back down. I knew he would adapt."
Phelipe Leal, who coached Estevao with Brazil's youth national teams and gave him his first under-17 call-up, agrees: "The natural route is usually Barcelona or Real Madrid. But Chelsea had a clear project based on signing young players.
"It was the perfect match."
In June 2024 Chelsea announced the signing of Estevao – but he would stay in Brazil for another season before making his move.
The year between agreeing that move and completing it was not without its bumps. At the start of 2025, Estevao missed a decisive penalty against Corinthians, Palmeiras' biggest rivals.
The moment hit him hard.
Writing for The Players' Tribune, he revealed that after the game he received a message on Instagram from Neymar, his childhood idol, who told him to keep his confidence, that he would miss many more penalties in his career, that it was part of the game – and that what really matters is how he reacts.
Neymar finished by telling him that he would be "the next genius of Brazil".
Read the full story of Estevao’s journey to the top
