Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca says 18-year-olds Estevao and Lamine Yamal have the potential to become the next Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, but urged patience and perspective. The pair, widely regarded as two of the most exciting young talents in world football, met on the big stage as Chelsea beat 10-man Barcelona 3-0 at Stamford Bridge to reach the Champions League quarter-finals.
Estevao stole the headlines with a brilliant individual goal, racing past Barcelona defender Pau Cubarsi and rifling a right-footed finish into the roof of the net to make it 2-0. His strike capped a dominant evening for Chelsea and made him the third teenager to score in each of his first three Champions League starts, joining Kylian Mbappé and Erling Haaland.
Yamal, who finished second in the Ballon d’Or, had a quieter night. Barcelona team-mate Marc Cucurella largely contained him with a disciplined defensive display, limiting Yamal’s usual influence on the game.
Independent valuations by the CIES Football Observatory list Yamal as the most valuable 18-year-old in world football at €350m (£307.5m), with Estevao valued at €118m (£103.7m). Barcelona and Brazil forward Raphinha, who has played alongside both, has previously suggested the pair could trade places at the very top of the game for years to come—an idea Maresca echoed while putting the necessary caveats around it.
Speaking to beIN Sports, Maresca said the comparison is understandable but warned it risks placing undue pressure on teenagers. He stressed they should enjoy the game, continue to develop in training, and not be burdened by expectations of emulating two of football’s legends. At his press conference he noted that while Estevao’s goal recalled a similar effort from the Club World Cup, the young players need to stay relaxed and happy rather than being rushed into lofty comparisons.
Estevao described the match-winning moment as the most special of his fledgling career. He told Amazon Prime he felt grateful and overwhelmed after a “perfect night,” saying the finish came quickly as he found space and instinctively finished. Having moved to Chelsea from Palmeiras in the summer, the Brazil international said he hopes to keep scoring and building on the breakthrough.
Cucurella, who has shared dressing rooms with both youngsters, pointed out that Yamal’s earlier rise gives him an experience edge—Yamal debuted for Barcelona at 15 and is already a European champion with Spain and a two-time LaLiga winner. But Cucurella praised Estevao’s personality and quality, saying he is catching up fast and that the squad environment should help him continue to improve.
For now, Maresca’s message is clear: the talent and the headlines are real, but the priority for both players is development and enjoyment, not immediate comparisons to history’s greatest stars.