Palmeiras sensation Estevao is looking forward to taking on his idol Lionel Messi at the Club World Cup.

Estevao will be in action when he debuts in the Club World Cup for Palmeiras as they prepare to take on FC Porto in their opening fixture at the MetLife Stadium on Monday.

The 18-year-old has been in fine form for Palmeiras throughout the 2024-25 season, having scored 11 goals and registering five assists in 35 appearances across all competitions.

The Brazilian wonderkid will now have the opportunity to showcase his talent on a global stage and he is relishing the chance to play against some of the best teams in the world.

“I’m thrilled to be playing at a tournament of this calibre, and to know that Palmeiras are among the best teams on the planet,” Estevao said,

“It’s going to be a great learning experience for me, having the chance to play against teams from Europe and other parts of the world, as well as familiar foes from South America.

“I’m going to be playing against one of the best players (Lionel Messi) of all time. It’s going to be unbelievable being out there on the pitch with him.

“I don’t like that comparison, it’s just something from when we were kids. I’ve been gradually moving away from it.

“But make no bones about it, being out there with one of my idols… I used to watch pretty much every game he played. That’s going to be unforgettable.”

He added: “Competitiveness is our biggest strength; it’s what this Palmeiras team do.”

“Through Abel and the senior players, I’ve learnt a lot about the importance of putting in the hard graft and staying committed. If a team have togetherness and feel connected on the pitch, things start to flow and that comes through hard work.

“Of course, the older players demand things from us and command respect, and we younger players also demand things from them,” he concluded.