That's because, according to his representative, Andre Cury, Barca had always been the European team that he'd wanted to join from Palmeiras.
Estevao wanted Barcelona move
Apparently, the youngster was even offered to the club on four separate occasions, and it was only their perilous financial situation that stopped them from actioning any deal.
“He has a special affection for Barca,” Cury was quoted as saying.
“At 11 years old you could already tell: he was different. He wanted to win the Ballon d’Or, but the situation didn’t allow them to make a long-term investment."
In a nod to what might have been for the LaLiga giants, Cury then referenced Lionel Messi and Neymar.
“Think of that duo. It’s better to have both together than just one," he added. "With Estevao and Lamine, it would’ve been the same.”
Better than Endrick and Luis Guilherme
High praise indeed, though it's long been thought that he and Palmeiras teammates, Endrick and Luis Guilherme, were a triumvirate of generational Brazilian talents who would go right to the very top of the game.
The less said about Endrick's move to Real Madrid the better, however.
Since signing for Los Blancos, he's played in 38 games across two seasons - but barely ever a full match - and scored just one league goal, one in the Champions League and five in the Copa del Rey.
Guilherme has fared little better at West Ham. In 20 appearances in all competitions between 2024/25 and 2025/26, he's made 20 sporadic appearances but hasn't provided a single goal or assist.
Estevao, by contrast, has really hit the ground running in West London.
Incredible Premier League strike
His goal against Barcelona was his third in just five Champions League appearances, and he managed another in two Carabao Cup games.
An assist in the English top-flight sits alongside arguably his second biggest moment in a blue shirt; a last-minute winner against Liverpool that really announced him on the Premier League stage.
Though the expectation might be for him to have done more in his 11 league appearances to date, one has to be mindful of his age, the pressure on his shoulders already, and the fact that Enzo Maresca routinely changes his starting XI to suit Chelsea's next opponents.
Not to mention that those 11 games saw him play a total of just 385 minutes.
Perhaps more pertinent than his goals, however, is his all-round attacking contribution at Chelsea and the way in which he's seamlessly integrated himself into what was already a world-class squad. A squad that can, at present, call themselves world champions.
His shooting accuracy this season sits at a more than acceptable 57.1%, whilst his shot conversion rate has reached 33.3%.
A pass completion of 84.5% in the Premier League has also gone somewhat under the radar, whilst his 10 chances created deserve wider acclaim.
Estevao is a player who, at first glance, doesn't appear overly muscular either, but he's had no problems holding off stronger and more physical defenders whilst driving into the heart of opposition territory.
Not afraid to mix it himself, he's already been awarded five yellow cards in his 24 total games for Chelsea and the Brazilian national team, suggesting a mean streak that will be needed if he's going to fulfil his destiny.
Can Estevao force his way into Brazil's World Cup squad?
For the Selecao, they have the World Cup to come at the end of this season, and Brazilians everywhere will be wondering whether Estevao might become their talisman in the USA, Canada and Mexico.
One goal in seven official appearances, and four more in four friendly games for the national team, bodes well for Carlo Ancelotti, as the Italian looks to motivate his squad after what was a poor qualification campaign by their standards.
Brazil qualified fifth, on the same points as Paraguay, Uruguay and Colombia, losing six games along the way, which was the most out of all six teams that have made it to FIFA's showpiece.
When one considers that Brazil can also boast Vinicius Junior, Raphinha, Rodrygo, Richarlison, Gabriel Martinelli and Joao Pedro as their attacking options, not to mention their depth in midfield and defence too, their qualification woes seem scarcely believable.
Indeed, despite their struggles in qualifying, it may be just that roll call of talent that curtails Estevao's hopes of making a splash at the World Cup himself.
Should he either miss out completely or not play too much of a part in Brazil's attempts to get back to the summit of world football, he can surely use that disappointment to fuel the next stage of his career.
A career that's bound to have more than enough memorable moments in the coming years.
