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Tunisia manager outlines Ballon d’Or path for Estevao Willian

Originally posted on HITC | By Eoin Morris | Last updated Nov 18, 2025 1:26 PM ET

Tunisia manager Sami Trabelsi has made a bold prediction about Chelsea youngster Estevao Willian’s future ahead of his team’s friendly against Brazil in Lille on Tuesday night.

Few people expected Chelsea’s new signing to adapt as quickly as he has over the past few months. The 18-year-old already looks like one of Enzo Maresca’s top attacking options, and he insists there’s more to come.

It could be a problem for defenders going forward because so far this season, they’ve struggled to contain his creativity. If he keeps progressing at this rate, it won’t be long before he starts justifying the high praise from Tunisia’s manager.

Sami Trabelsi backs Estevao for the Ballon d’Or

Both sides have already booked their place in the World Cup, so there isn’t much riding on this one.

Still, in the lead-up to the match, Trabelsi found time to speak about Brazil’s rising star and didn’t hold back his praise.

As ESPN report, he says: “I think he’s a new football genius emerging, very young. I think he’s doing very well and he’s a player who can be expected to be among the greats, among the best in the world, certainly, in the coming years.

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“If he manages to have good performances or win titles, whether with his club or national team, he will be among the players who, in the coming years, could even compete for the Ballon d’Or.”

The bar has been set high for Estevao but there is every reason to believe it is within reach. He already has at least one top coach believing it will happen.

He continues: “He brings many solutions, a lot of technique, a lot of genius. There aren’t many players of that level, of that category of genius, on the world stage.”

Why Estevao’s Ballon d’Or Path might not be so straightforward

While the young Brazilian clearly has the talent, there are a few factors that could make things difficult, and another player in blue is part of that.

This year’s Ballon d’Or race will hinge heavily on international success, with club form taking centre stage in every other campaign.

That puts extra pressure on Estevao to be Chelsea’s standout player and pick up silverware along the way. Of course, there’s already someone at Stamford Bridge who knows how to handle that spotlight.

Maresca has drawn comparisons between the two players before, but Palmer is still very much the main man at Chelsea right now. Estevao has time to close that gap, but catching up won’t be easy by any stretch.

This article first appeared on HITC and was syndicated with permission.

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