Chelsea youngster Estêvão may be spending this summer recovering from the injury that cost him a place at the World Cup, but anyone expecting him to lower his ambitions has clearly not been listening.
The 19-year-old has spent the past few weeks discussing recovery plans, rehabilitation timelines and the disappointment of missing Brazil’s biggest tournament.
He recently admitted he cried after learning the severity of the injury and described the diagnosis as one of the hardest moments of his career.
Yet when the conversation turned towards the future, the Chelsea player was looking far beyond the next few months.
Estêvão setting the bar as high as possible
Speaking to SportsCenter Brazil, Estêvão explained that having ambitious targets is an essential part of his mindset.
“I think it’s very important for a player to have goals. I have my goals, I have my ambitions. I have goals with the group, which today is Chelsea, and I have personal goals as well,” he said.
The winger explained that his approach is based on building a path towards those objectives and staying committed to it regardless of setbacks.
“It’s important to focus on what you want, build your path around that and follow it. I have my ambitions and I’m working very hard to make them happen. I don’t know if it will be possible or not, but they’re there and that’s the plan I’m going to follow.”
Ballon d’Or dreams
When asked what those ambitions actually are, Estêvão did not hesitate.
“My ambition is to be the best player in the world, win the Champions League and win the World Cup,” he said.
That shows why Chelsea invested so heavily in one of Brazil’s brightest young talents. But the teenager acknowledged that reaching those milestones will not happen overnight.
“I’m looking for that. Day after day. Step by step. Having resilience every day, eating well, training well, sleeping well…”
Five kilos and counting
One of the recurring themes since Estêvão’s move to England has been adapting physically to the demands of elite European football.
The winger revealed that he has already added significant muscle mass during that process.
Asked how much weight he had gained, Estêvão replied with a smile: “A little bit.”
“I think it was about five kilos”, he stated.
When asked whether that came through gym work or diet, his answer was simple: “Both.”
For a player still only 19, that evolution remains an important part of the bigger picture.
Looking beyond the setback
What stands out most from Estêvão’s comments is how little time he spends dwelling on disappointment.
Missing the World Cup was clearly a major emotional blow. He has spoken openly about that. The recovery process is still ongoing. He is expected to miss Chelsea’s pre-season and possibly the start of the new campaign.
Even so, his focus remains fixed on objectives that stretch years into the future.
“I don’t know how long it will take, but those are my goals and I’ll do everything to achieve them.”
For a player currently spending more time with physiotherapists than teammates, it is a reminder that the injury has changed his timeline – not his ambitions.