Estevao Willian: Chelsea Prodigy Hails GOAT Duo Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo

• Estevao Willian has revealed how he draws inspiration from Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo
• The Brazilian wonderkid is set to officially join Premier League side Chelsea in 2025 when he turns 18
• Fans are eagerly awaiting his debut, hoping he can make the same kind of impact at Stamford Bridge as he has in Brazil

Incoming Chelsea signing Estevao Willian has shared insights on how he models his development after the two football legends Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.

The Brazilian prodigy looks to both players as benchmarks, with aspirations of carving out a legacy that could rival their greatness.

Estevao Willian praised Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi while revealing how he draws inspiration from the GOAT pair. Photos by Aurelien Meunier - PSG and Miguel Schincariol.
Source: UGC

Estevao, currently lighting up the Brazilian league with Palmeiras, will officially join Chelsea in 2025 when he turns 18.

Like many young talents, he's often compared to Messi and Ronaldo, two players who have not only dominated the sport for two decades but have collected an astounding 13 Ballons d'Or between them—Messi claiming eight and Ronaldo five.

Estevao draws inspiration from Messi, Ronaldo

Interestingly, Estevao has drawn comparisons to Messi early in his career.

At Cruzeiro, he was nicknamed "Messinho" due to his playing style, which mirrored the Argentine's dribbling, vision, and ability to find pockets of space in the final third.

However, Estevao is determined to step out of that shadow and establish his unique identity on the pitch.

"Some people are born with talent; others have to work hard. Good examples are Messi and Ronaldo," he told The Guardian, as quoted by Sportskeeda. "Messi has the talent, Ronaldo the effort. I look for both talent and dedication. "Nowadays in football, you have to dedicate yourself, keep a schedule, train, travel, take care of yourself."

Estevao's track record in Brazil

This combination of technical finesse and sheer work ethic has clearly paid off for the young forward.

As noted by Transfermarkt, Estevao's breakout 2024 season saw him net nine goals and provide seven assists in just 23 Serie A appearances for Palmeiras.

His contribution not only kept the team in contention for the title but also earned him two senior national team caps for Brazil.

CR7 surpass Messi with another record

In a previous publication, Legit.ng reported that Cristiano Ronaldo added yet another chapter to his storied career with a record-setting performance in Al-Nassr's commanding 3-0 victory over Al Orubah in the Saudi Pro League.

Ronaldo's goal marked an incredible milestone in football history.

According to the International Federation of Football History and Statistics (IFFHS), the Portuguese legend became the first player ever to score in 600 different top-level matches.

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Source: YEN.com.gh