LONDON – Brazil head coach Carlo Ancelotti has confirmed that Chelsea winger Estêvão is on course to be selected for the 2026 World Cup, saying the 18-year-old has earned his place after a rapid breakthrough for club and country.
Estêvão joined Chelsea from Palmeiras in the summer for an initial £29 million ($38 million) and has made an immediate impact under Enzo Maresca. The forward has scored three goals in five Champions League matches and has appeared 11 times in the Premier League, starting five.
Asked about the teenager’s chances of being included in Brazil’s World Cup squad, Ancelotti told Esporte Record he expects the player to make the final list. “Based on how Estêvão has played in the last six months, I think so. Estêvão will be at the World Cup,” he said.
Estêvão made his Brazil debut in September 2024 and has since become a regular option in Ancelotti’s starting lineup. He has scored four goals in his last three appearances for the national team and has five goals in 11 caps overall.
Ancelotti praised the forward’s technical ability and development at club level but warned there is more progress to come. “He is a very, very special player,” he said. “He has a big natural talent. It doesn’t mean that he is fully developed because of his age. What can improve is his continuity.”
The coach highlighted Chelsea’s role in the teenager’s growth, suggesting the Premier League side has built a tailored program to accelerate his tactical and physical evolution. “He is progressing very well at Chelsea. I’m certain they are doing a specific program with him,” Ancelotti said. “The national team has to take advantage of this talent because it’s a very big one.”
The winger’s rise comes at a time when Brazil is reshaping its attacking options ahead of the 2026 tournament. Estêvão’s emergence signals a long-term investment in younger profiles and reflects Brazil’s shift toward players capable of breaking defensive lines with pace, dribbling and pressing resistance.
If selected, Estêvão would become one of the youngest Brazilian players to feature at a World Cup, underlining his growing importance for both Chelsea and the national team.
