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Luis Suarez has dismissed comparisons between Chelsea-bound Estevao Willian and Lionel Messi. He believes the two have different styles, and the Brazilian youngster still has a lot to learn.
Speaking to the media after Inter Miami's 2-2 draw against Palmeiras in the FIFA Club World Cup on Tuesday, June 24, Suarez said that he was a big fan of Estevao. The Uruguayan added that the Brazilian teenager needs to keep the comparison out of his head and said (via Metro):
"I think comparisons are not wise. He had to make his own name and they [Estevao and Messi] are different players. Of course, I admire his age and his personality. Playing this type of game at his age is admirable. I wish him the best because he is young and still has a lot to learn."
Estevao opened up about his upcoming move to Chelsea after the game. While he seemed excited for the move, he added that the focus remained on Palmeiras as he wanted to do well at the FIFA Club World Cup. He told TNT Sports Brazil (via Metro):
"It's really hard. Going to Chelsea is a dream come true but knowing that I need to focus here first… it's not easy. You have to maintain your focus here. The closer it gets, the anxiety starts to hit, the butterflies in the stomach begin. But I'm trying to focus as much as possible here, to leave everything I can on the pitch, to leave here well. I want to go with my head held high through the door, knowing that I did my very best here."
Chelsea signed Estevao last summer, and the Brazilian, who has been compared with Lionel Messi, is set to join them this summer after the Club World Cup.
Chelsea-bound star on swapping shirts with Lionel Messi
Estevao Willian also spoke about swapping shirts with Lionel Messi at half-time of the Palmeiras-Inter Miami game. He said it was incredible to be on the pitch with the Argentine, adding (via Metro):
"It was incredible, sensational. He's a player I've watched play since I was little. I play with him in video game. It was an incredible pleasure to be playing on the field with him. He's my idol and a role model for me. I learned a lot. What mattered most was our dedication, our courage to play and always fight until the end. We sought the result, which was a draw and we qualified in first place, which was our objective."
Lionel Messi's Inter Miami and Palmeiras made it to the knockouts from Group A. Chelsea could face the Brazilian side in the quarterfinals if the two teams manage to win their respective Round of 16 clashes.
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Sripad is a veteran Sportskeeda football journalist who has been with the company for around 10 years. His tryst with writing happened in class XI when he started penning blogs, and his foray into football was during the early 2000s, watching matches with his cousins.
Sripad has been a Chelsea fan through and through since the age of 9 and can watch their 2012 Champions League triumph on repeat. The undisputed ‘GOAT’ according to him is Lionel Messi and his favorite managers are Jose Mourinho and Sir Alex Ferguson. Apart from popular European leagues, he also likes to follow other leagues like the MLS, Saudi Pro League, Eredivisie, and Liga MX.
Sripad believes in only using the right sources for his articles, and is an expert in understanding how to get the right quotes for each news to provide proper background information. His exploits have led him to become a popular figure in European Football and interviewing Premier League legends such as Alan Shearer, Shay Given, Paul Dickov, and John Barnes. His articles have been much revered amongst the football fraternity and have been shared by the likes of John Terry, Gary Lineker, and Declan Rice.
If given a chance to change a football rule, Sripad wants VAR to be fully automated and offside rules to be less stringent. When not working, he likes to watch past Formula 1 races and play FIFA.
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Edited by Sankalp Srivastava