If you’re a talented young attacking South American footballer, it’s likely that you’ll be dubbed the next Pele/Maradona/Messi, etc, by the international media, who love to throw a big name into a headline.
Some players will relish comparisons of this nature, while others will prefer to operate more under the radar and carve out their own legacy.
One of the latest hot young properties to come out of South America is Chelsea new boy Estevao, the 18-year-old forward that the Blues bought for £29million from Palmeiras last summer. The teenager, who has now arrived at Stamford Bridge in time for the 2025/26 season, has been dubbed ‘Messiho’ due to similarities with the Argentinian icon.
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Estevao opens up on being compared to Lionel Messi
JAKARTA, INDONESIA - NOVEMBER 09: Estevao of Brazil poses for a photo during the FIFA U-17 World Cup 2023 on November 09, 2023 in Jakarta, Indonesia. (Photo by Alex Caparros - FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images)
Estevao already has five senior Brazil caps to his name(Image credit: Getty Images)
And it would appear the teenager falls into the camp of those who do not want to be compared to other players.
“I don’t remember who came up with it, but it just caught on straight away,” Estevao tells FourFourTwo. “Neither I nor my family ever liked it much.
Estevao Willian celebrates a goal for Palmeiras against Uruguayan side Liverpool in the Copa Libertadores in April 2024.
Estevao idolised Neymar growing up(Image credit: Getty Images)
“Sometimes a nickname like that becomes a burden you didn’t ask for. You just want to play football, to do what you love – but that kind of label adds a pressure that’s not yours.
“Thankfully, I was able to leave it behind when I moved to Palmeiras.”
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The youngster has also been compared to his countryman Neymar, a player he idolised growing up. When Estevao signed up with Nike as ten ten-year-old old, he was thrilled to be following in his hero’s footsteps.
“I only knew about Nike because of Neymar,” he continues. “He was my idol growing up, and he wore Nike boots when he played for Santos.
Neymar
The teenager joined Neymar in the Nike ranks at the age of ten(Image credit: Getty)
“But I was too young to really understand what signing with Nike actually meant. In my head, I just thought I’d be getting free boots every month. I had no idea how big the brand was globally.
“When they told me I’d be wearing the same boots as Neymar, I was over the moon.”