Estevao’s World Cup in serious doubt due to Chelsea forward’s hamstring injury

Estevao’s participation at the World Cup with Brazil is in serious doubt due to the hamstring injury the Chelsea forward suffered during Saturday’s defeat by Manchester United.

Sources briefed on the injury say that Estevao has suffered a grade four hamstring injury, which would mean the 18-year-old is highly unlikely to feature at the World Cup. The tournament begins on June 11, with Brazil’s opening game against Morocco two days later.

The Athletic reported on April 18 that Estevao would undergo a scan to determine the severity of the issue. That scan was held on Monday afternoon, with some at Chelsea already fearing the worst before it took place.

Estevao sustained the injury during the 1-0 defeat by Manchester United last Saturday. The 18-year-old limped off in the 16th minute of the game at Stamford Bridge, with Chelsea head coach Liam Rosenior confirming after the game that he was in tears in the dressing room.

The injury likely brings an end to Estevao’s debut season at Chelsea. The Premier League side signed the winger from Palmeiras in May 2024, and he joined the club last summer.

In 36 appearances, he has scored eight goals and provided four assists, with three goals coming in seven Champions League games.

He has established himself as a regular member of Brazil’s national team under Carlo Ancelotti. Estevao has earned 11 senior caps and has scored four goals in his last four international appearances.

Following Tuesday’s 3-0 defeat by Brighton & Hove Albion, Chelsea have four Premier League matches remaining this season, as well as an FA Cup semi-final against Leeds United next Sunday. As well as Morocco, Brazil face Haiti and Scotland in Group B.

Additional reporting: Simon Johnson

Estevao missing the World Cup would be heartbreaking

Analysis by football writer Cerys Jones

This is an incredibly cruel end to a season where watching Estevao has often been the most enjoyable thing about watching Chelsea.

More so than any of Chelsea’s other signings in a bumper window of incomings this summer, Estevao has lived up to the hype that surrounded his arrival. His creativity and fearlessness have shone and he has featured prominently in some of the best moments of Chelsea’s season — his goal to seal victory over Liverpool in October being the most obvious. As expected for such a young player, he has not been a consistent starter but has impacted games from the bench, earned his team-mates’ trust, and certainly earned the adoration of the fans.

For Chelsea, this comes at a point in the season where positivity and goals are both in short supply. This removes a source of both, and compounds the misery around the club. The injury, in addition to Joao Pedro, Cole Palmer, and Jamie Gittens, effectively leaves a front three of Alejandro Garnacho, Liam Delap, and Pedro Neto all but certain to line up for their remaining games. None have scored in the Premier League since Delap’s goal in a 2-1 defeat by Fulham in January.

For Estevao himself, it is not hard to see why Rosenior told reporters he was “devastated” and in tears at half-time after coming off injured against Manchester United. Having set himself up firmly for a place in Ancelotti’s squad, appearing seven times in qualifying, to miss a first tournament with Brazil would be heartbreaking.

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