Tag: Estevao

Chelsea forward Estevao is set to miss the FIFA World Cup 2026 after reportedly being excluded from Brazil’s 55-man preliminary squad for the tournament.

According to ESPN, the teenager failed to make the expanded squad submitted by the Brazil football team ahead of the World Cup in North America.

Estevao’s participation in the tournament had been under serious doubt after suffering a muscle injury in his right thigh during Chelsea’s 1-0 Premier League defeat against Manchester United on April 18.

Reports suggest there was initial optimism that the 19-year-old could recover in time for what would have been his first World Cup appearance.

However, medical staff from both Chelsea and Brazil were reportedly unable to guarantee the winger’s full recovery before the tournament.

Sources further claimed the player himself had accepted that his World Cup hopes were fading and appeared visibly disappointed when he recently arrived at former club Palmeiras for treatment.

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Despite Estevao’s omission, veteran forward Neymar was included in Brazil’s preliminary squad as he continues his push for a fourth World Cup appearance.

The 34-year-old, Brazil’s all-time leading scorer with 79 international goals, had previously been left out of every squad named by head coach Carlo Ancelotti since the Italian took charge in June.

Teams participating in the FIFA World Cup were required to submit preliminary 55-player squads by Monday, with final 26-man squads to be selected from those lists closer to the tournament.

Before suffering the injury, Estevao had been widely considered a certain selection for Brazil, particularly with Ancelotti reportedly a strong admirer of the youngster.

The highly rated attacker joined Chelsea from Palmeiras last summer in a deal worth £29 million and has scored eight goals in 36 appearances across all competitions since arriving in England.

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Estevao scored a breathtaking solo Champions League goal to win the battle of the teenage prodigies against Lamine Yamal on Tuesday as Chelsea humbled 10-man Barcelona 3-0.

The two 18-year-olds were the focus of attention in the build-up to the game at Stamford Bridge, with Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca urging his player to ignore the comparisons.

Estevao’s moment of magic came 10 minutes after half-time, when he received the ball on the right, beat two defenders, and lashed it into the roof of Joan Garcia’s net.

It was the 10th goal of the season for club and country for the winger, just months into his first campaign at Chelsea.

The Brazilian said it was the best moment of his career so far, in front of his watching family.

“I don’t really have any words to sum up how I’m feeling right now,” he told Amazon Prime. “It really was the perfect night. I’m just grateful to God for everything that has happened to me. Onwards and upwards from here.”

Speaking about his spectacular goal, he said: “It all happened very quickly for me, it sort of happened before I knew it.

“I just found some space, wiggled my way through and then scored that goal. It was such a special moment for me in my career. I hope to score many more.”

Estevao’s goal gave Barcelona, already trailing 1-0 and down to 10 men, a mountain to climb and substitute Liam Delap put the game to bed in the 73rd minute, sidefooting home from close range.

The lopsided scoreline was just reward for two-time European champions Chelsea, who were superior from the first whistle against a pallid Barcelona team.

The game had started at a frantic pace.

Enzo Fernandez bundled the ball into the net in the fourth minute, only for the goal to be ruled out due to a handball by Wesley Fofana.

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Two minutes later, Ferran Torres seemed certain to score at the other end when clean through with only Robert Sanchez to beat, but he skewed wide.

The game then drifted before Chelsea again upped the tempo.

Fernandez again had the ball in the net, but this time it was disallowed for an offside and moments later Pedro Neto blazed over the bar.

But the home side’s pressure finally paid off in the 27th minute following a short-corner routine.

The ball was eventually whipped into the box, and Barcelona tied themselves in knots, Jules Kounde poking the ball into his own net.

The game took a decisive turn moments before half-time when Barcelona captain Ronald Araujo received a second yellow card for a poor challenge on Marc Cucurella.

Chelsea maintained their intensity in the second half and were richly rewarded with the goals from Estevao and Delap, while five-time Champions League winners Barcelona offered little.

The Stamford Bridge fans taunted the ineffective Yamal after Estevao scored and jeered when he was substituted late in the game.

Maresca’s men, back in the Champions League after two years away, have now won three of their first five games to give themselves a fighting chance of finishing in the top eight.

That would mean automatic qualification for the last 16.

The club are also picking up momentum in the Premier League, sitting second in the table ahead of Sunday’s home match against leaders Arsenal.

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