Estêvão Makes Champions League History with Chelsea
By Adriana Garcia
October 23, 2025, 04:49 AM ET
18-year-old winger Estêvão expressed his joy after achieving his lifelong ambition of scoring his debut goal in the Champions League. The young Brazilian made history by becoming Chelsea‘s youngest scorer in the prestigious tournament, netting a penalty during the team’s impressive 5-1 victory against a depleted Ajax side on Wednesday.
“I’m overjoyed with this first Champions League goal,” Estêvão shared with TNT Sport. “This moment has been a dream for me for a long time, and I’m incredibly grateful it has finally happened. I feel complete and happy.”
Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca gave Estêvão his first Champions League start on that day. Prior to this match, he had made brief appearances off the bench in a 1-0 win against Benfica and a 3-1 defeat to Bayern Munich.
“When I learned I would be starting, I was too excited to sleep during the afternoon,” Estêvão recalled. “I usually rest then, but anxiety kept me awake. It feels amazing to be playing for Chelsea and to have the coach’s trust.”
Estêvão credited his teammate Enzo Fernández for allowing him to take the second penalty of the match, which he had earned. Despite having scored the first penalty, Fernández, who is Chelsea’s regular penalty taker due to Cole Palmer’s injury, graciously handed the ball to Estêvão.
“Enzo is a wonderful person,” Estêvão commented. “I didn’t expect him to let me take the penalty since he had already converted one, but he handed me the ball, and I was thrilled. This gesture exemplifies our tight-knit, hardworking team that supports one another. I’m proud to contribute to Chelsea’s success.”
Following the game, Maresca expressed his good fortune to be coaching Estêvão, believing he has the potential to thrive in the Chelsea first team, similar to Palmer.
Estêvão, who transferred to Chelsea from Palmeiras for an initial fee of £29 million ($39 million), stated he feels fortunate to be in an environment that fosters his growth. “I’m incredibly thankful for how Chelsea has made me feel at home,” he said.
Estêvão, who recently scored his first goal for Brazil in a 3-0 victory over Chile in last month’s World Cup qualifier, aspires to represent his country in the upcoming 2026 World Cup. “Every player dreams of playing in the World Cup,” he noted. “I’m committed to working hard every day to achieve that goal.”
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