​Image source, Getty Images. ByAdwaidh Rajan. BBC Sport journalist. 9 hours ago. 27 Comments. Brazil assistant coach Davide Ancelotti has tipped Chelsea’s 18-year-old winger Estevao Willian to be the surprise package at the summer’s World Cup.. Former Bayern Munich and Real Madrid assistant manager Ancelotti will be part of his father Carlo’s Brazil coaching staff at the tournament taking place in the United States, Canada and Mexico from 11 June to 19 July.. “The guy that will surprise you is someone that is not so well known,” Ancelotti told BBC Radio 5 Live’s Euro Leagues podcast.. “We have a lot of attacking players. We have a lot of talent and a lot of different profiles. And if I have to give you a name, Estevao is one of the rising talents of Brazil.”. The highly rated teenager has scored eight goals and provided four assists in 34 appearances for Chelsea after joining from Palmeiras last summer for an initial fee of £29m, agreed in 2024.. Estevao missed Brazil’s recent friendlies against France and Croatia having only returned from a hamstring injury for Chelsea against Everton right before the international break on 21 March.. But he was on the scoresheet in Chelsea’s 7-0 win against Port Vale in the FA Cup quarter-final last weekend.. “He is a really big talent,” said Ancelotti of Estevao, who made his Brazil debut at the age of 17 in September 2024 and has five goals in 11 caps.. “He is a really good finisher, so he is someone that can dominate in Europe as a talent for the next years.”. Euro Leagues: Davide Ancelotti Special. Dirt pitches, dodging dogs and choosing Chelsea – the making of Estevao. 24 March. Will Chelsea wonderkid Estevao hit heights of Yamal?. 25 November 2025. ‘Neymar still has a chance’. Image source, Getty Images. Before moving to England, Estevao scored 27 goals and provided 15 assists in 83 games for Palmeiras, surpassing Brazil legend Neymar’s record at Santos to become the first under-18 player to record a combined 20 goals and assists in the Brazilian top flight.. But Estevao’s hopes of playing a World Cup alongside his childhood idol remains a doubt after Neymar, 33, was left out of Brazil’s last set of friendlies before their World Cup squad is announced.. The former Barcelona and Paris St-Germain attacker returned to Santos in January 2025 and helped his boyhood club avoid relegation last season, but has not played for Brazil since 2023 amid his struggles with injuries.. He was due to make his return to the national team last year after a 17-month absence but was forced to withdraw from the squad with a muscle injury.. “At the end, it is a decision of the manager that he will take and he has time to take it,” Ancelotti said.. “The final list will be out on 18 May. Of course, he is the top scorer of the national team and he has a chance. He has a time to do his best and try to get into the list.”. Brazil’s all-time top scorer Neymar has 79 goals in 128 appearances, eclipsing greats like Pele, Ronaldo, Romari