Estevao Willian has revealed how he managed to swap shirts with Inter Miami stars Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez at the Club World Cup.
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Chelsea-bound star takes on Inter Miami with PalmeirasSwaps shirts with Messi and SuarezSpoke about two forwards afterwardsFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?
Estevao is still only 18 but can already boast a shirt collection that contains the jerseys of Messi and Suarez after swapping with the Inter Miami stars after a 2-2 draw with Palmeiras at the Club World Cup. The result sends both teams through to the knockout stages of the tournament in the United States.
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Estevao, who is set to join Chelsea after the tournament, certainly wasn't fazed about taking on some of the biggest names in football in the match. Yet the teenager did admit that coming up against Messi was a thrill as he revealed how he managed to swap shirts with both Inter Miami forwards.
Watch every FIFA Club World Cup game free on DAZNStream nowWHAT ESTEVAO SAID
He told ESPN Brasil: "When it was half-time, I was p*ssed off because the team was losing, but I ran into the tunnel, caught him, and swapped with him. It's incredible, a guy you play on a video game, you're swapping shirts with him, sharing the field with him. It's an incredible situation. He (Messi) winked at me and my legs started to shake, right at the start of the game. It's so emotional, he's an idol, a reference not only for me, but for the whole world. It's such a joy to have shared the pitch with him."
Estevao also explained how he managed to swap shirts with Luis Suarez as well: "With Suárez too (he changed his shirt). At half-time, when we were getting back into the game, the ball was still in the middle, he came, greeted me, asked to change the shirt. Of course. He asked to change it later. This affection is incredible."
AFPWHAT NEXT FOR ESTEVAO AND MESSI?
Messi and Inter Miami will go on to play PSG in the last 16, while Palmeiras and Estevao will face Botafogo in an all-Brazilian clash.