Chelsea-bound Estevao 'Messinho' Willian admits he had 'butterflies' meeting Vinicius Junior after receiving maiden Brazil call-up

The 17-year-old forward became the fifth youngest player to be called up by Brazil's senior team off the back of his form for Palmeiras. Ahead of possibly making his international debut, he admitted to being starstruck by compatriot Vinicius - and vowed to learn from "the best in the world".

He told reporters: “I’ve already managed to meet Vini. That was the thing that made me most nervous about meeting him. He’s a reference for what he’s doing at Real Madrid, for me, he’s the best in the world. These are guys that we see playing in the Champions League, important championships, and it gives us butterflies in our stomach. I’m going to try to learn a lot from them."

Hopes are high over what Estevao can do after agreeing to move to Chelsea in 2025 for a fee that could rise to £56 million ($71m). He has scored 10 goals in 35 matches for his club side this season and by playing with the likes of Vinicius and more, the teenager is only likely to get better. The youngster will also hope he can help his country get their 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign back on track this month.

Estevao could make his Brazil debut when they take on Ecuador on September 7 or against Paraguay on September 11. Brazil currently sit sixth in the CONMEBOL qualifying table, so they need to improve their results quickly to stand a chance of qualifying for the next World Cup.