Estevão has knocked down the door of the Palmeiras first team. The 16-year-old player (he turns 17 on April 24) scored a goal in the Copa Libertadores match between his team and Liverpool de Montevideo. Furthermore, it was his debut in this competition and the first time in which he started as a starter since he became a first team player. Messinho, as he is known, has been sounding strong for leading teams in Europe, including Barça and PSG.
Despite not having played a game as a starter until last night, Estevão had already played six games with the Palmeiras first team this season, five of them were in Paulista, a competition in which Verdao was proclaimed champion.
Likewise, the 16-year-old footballer debuted last season with the first team, in the Brazilian league. He only played 12 minutes and it was on the last day of the championship, when the Brazilians were already champions.
The left-handed winger, who plays on the other wing, scored the 3-1 with a header, after the Brazilian team started behind on the scoreboard. Last night’s goal places him in the wake of Endrick, the great pearl of Verdao who has signed for Real Madrid. Estevão became the second youngest scorer for Palmeiras in the history of the Copa Libertadores, only behind the already international with Brazil.
His nickname, Messinho, comes from when he played in Cruzeiro’s youth teams, because he is a great admirer of Messi and because his playing style is reminiscent of the Argentine. Even so, he prefers to be called Estevão Willian.
