Thierry Henry said he was reminded of Ryan Giggs after watching a scintillating individual performance from Estevao in Chelsea’s 3-0 win over ten-man Barcelona.
Estevao took centre stage in Tuesday’s one-sided Champions League contest to outshine Lamine Yamal and further strengthen his reputation as one of the most exciting attacking talents in the world game.
Stepping up in the absence of Cole Palmer at just 18 years of age, Estevao was a threat throughout and produced the standout moment of real quality to double Chelsea’s lead on a memorable night at Stamford Bridge.
Picking up the ball out wide with the hosts firmly in the ascendancy following Jules Kounde’s own goal, Estevao danced past Pau Cubarsi and arrowed an unstoppable strike beyond Joan Garcia to send Chelsea fans into raptures.
Liam Delap increased the deficit after coming on for Alejandro Garnacho midway through the second half and the Blues held firm to secure their third victory of the group stage, a result that moved the club up to fifth in the table.
Your ultimate guide to the football season
Metro’s football newsletter: In The Mixer. Exclusive analysis, FPL tips and transfer talk sent straight to your inbox every Friday – sign up, it’s an open goal.
Estevao became only the third teenager to score in each of his first three Champions League starts, following in the footsteps of Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland, with his thunderous 55th-minute effort in west London.
The youngster later admitted the goal was the most ‘special’ he had scored of his career to date – and the CBS Sports punditry panel of Jamie Carragher, Micah Richards and Henry almost ran out of superlatives to describe the Brazilian as they analysed the game.
‘You wouldn’t like to play against him,’ legendary ex-Arsenal and France striker Henry said.
‘I’m not saying that you wouldn’t be able to stop him but he’s coming at you all the time.
‘He’s reminding me of… I know it’s early doors… but that’s why I think Ryan Giggs was one of the best because he was coming at you all game.
‘Whether he’s having a good game or not a good game, he’s trying to test you all the time and see if you’re going to stop him or not. That’s how it is as a winger.’
Metro at the Match: Chelsea 3-0 Barcelona
Metro’s Ben Fleming breaks down the action with the winners and losers from Stamford Bridge:
Neto impresses in new role
Given the start as the central striker with Joao Pedro and Liam Delap benched, Pedro Neto was a livewire up in attack. A lack of composure let him down at points, but deploying him centrally could be a great option to provide Estevao with more minutes from the start.
Estevao outshines Yamal
Only 18, but Estevao already looks like a man for the big occasion. A winner against Liverpool last month and now a sublime goal to virtually put this game to bed. The Brazilian easily won the battle of the teenage sensations.
Cucurella the cult hero
A faultless display from Cucurella at left-back. Provided plenty of support to Garnacho in the final third, and kept his fellow countryman Lamine Yamal quiet for virtually the entire 90 minutes. Revered by the fans who sang his name all night long.
Full Chelsea ratings: Sanchez 7, Gusto 6, Fofana 7, Chalobah 7, Cucurella 8.5, James 6, Caicedo 7, Estevao 9, Fernandez 6, Garnacho 6, Neto 7. Subs: Santos 7, Delap 6, Gittens N/A, Acheampong N/A, George N/A.
Yamal kept quiet
Lost his battle up against Cucurella and struggled to have any real impact on the game. Not helped by his side going down to ten men, but a visit to London to forget for the supremely talented teen, who made way to jeers from all four sides of Stamford Bridge.
Awful Araujo
The rank opposite of a captain’s display from Ronald Araujo. Picked up his first yellow for dissent and sent for an early bath before the half-time whistle for a clumsy challenge on Cucurella. Cost his team.
Full Barcelona ratings: Joan García 5, Kounde 6, Cubarsi 5, Araujo 3, Balde 5; Eric García 5, De Jong 6, Fermin 6, Yamal 5, Lewandowski 5, Ferran Torres 5. Subs: Rashford 5, Raphinha 5, Christensen 5, Martin N/A, Olmo N/A.
Given the extraordinary talent at his disposal, Henry believes Enzo Maresca would be foolish not to allow Estevao to play with the kind of freedom he enjoyed against Barcelona.
‘Coaches, at times, are scared of transition, counter-attack, playing against a low block: if you lose the ball too early then you’re going to get done being open,’ he continued.
‘But the first quality of the kid is to dribble. Why are you going to take that away?
‘For me, to be able to make you tired, I’ll take advantage of what I’ve done.
‘It’s like if you stop a boxer from jabbing. How is he going to work? If I don’t go at you five, six or seven times to stop me, how am I going to have the eighth time? You go to the eighth time and you can see he’s tired now… ninth time he doesn’t want me anymore and then it’s easy.
‘If I don’t make you run, I pass the ball all the time, it’s an easy job for you as a right-back or left-back.
‘Let him cook, let him play. We need to enjoy this type of player in these types of games.’
According to Henry, there is a tendency for managers to be overly risk averse in the modern game – and dribbling at speed should be encouraged.
‘I mention Michael Olise and Bukayo Saka. It doesn’t have to be scripted all the time: pass the ball, don’t lose it,’ he went on.
‘I said it to Desire Doue and I think I said it on this show, I put him on against Egypt in the semi-finals at the Olympics. I put him on because he’s good in one-vs-one, I needed someone to go and not think anymore.
‘I said, “Have a go whenever you have the ball, I don’t really care, do what you have to do”, and I think he passed the ball one time back, second time back and I told him I’d take him out if he did it again.
‘Next thing you know, yellow card, another yellow card, the right-back is sent off and we won the game.
‘What made you arrive there? Dribbling. So why are you going to speak the guy in a negative way?’
For more stories like this, check our sport page.
Follow Metro Sport for the latest news on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.