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Chelsea starlet Estêvão suffered a devastating injury that shattered his 2026 World Cup aspirations, yet the youngster recently shared that his rehabilitation is advancing at a remarkable pace, humorously stating, "I could probably play right now."
The 2026 World Cup will be deprived of one of the globe's most thrilling young prospects in the 19-year-old Brazilian, who ruptured his hamstring during Chelsea's fixture against Manchester United on April 18.
Chelsea swiftly confirmed that Estêvão's maiden English season had come to an end and that his World Cup hopes were in serious jeopardy. Weeks afterward, Carlo Ancelotti left the teenager out of Brazil's preliminary World Cup squad, condemning the dynamic winger to wait another four years before making his World Cup bow.
Estêvão is the youngest to score in a competitive game for Brazil since Pelé.
Following in the footsteps of a giant. pic.twitter.com/YWaix184Ed
Such a significant injury for a player so early in his career raised serious concerns for both Brazil and Chelsea, but Estêvão alleviated many of those worries when he delivered an injury update during a speech at his church in Brazil last week.
"Two weeks ago, I had a second MRI scan," Estêvao said, via Globo. "And the doctor asked if I was in pain or feeling anything. I said: 'No, doctor, I'm fine, I think I could even play already.' He said: 'Yeah, it really shows.'
"He showed me the scan results and told me he could no longer detect any trace of the injury. He said he doesn't know what happened, because at this stage of recovery, it shouldn't be healing as well as it is."
Estêvão delivering such an encouraging update comes as a welcome surprise given how severe the injury was and how bleak the prognosis appeared for some time.
Chelsea Pushed for Surgery
The initial diagnosis of a rare "grade four hamstring injury" came as a blow, with speculation suggesting he could face up to six months on the sidelines as surgery appeared inevitable. However, Estêvão chose to forgo an operation, despite pressure from Chelsea's leadership, the Brazilian disclosed.
"I suffered an injury where I tore 80 percent of my hamstring," the winger confessed. "The Chelsea medical staff wanted me to undergo surgery and even the club's owner expressed that he wanted me to have the procedure. But together with my parents — and I always say it's crucial to have the people you love beside you, because these decisions are incredibly hard to make alone when you're surrounded by so much pressure — I decided against having surgery."
The non-surgical approach appears to be paying dividends for the teenager, even though his availability for the start of the 2026–27 campaign remains uncertain.
Chelsea teammate Cole Palmer also dealt with persistent hamstring troubles throughout the season and, much like Estêvão, opted for conservative treatment to sidestep surgery. Nevertheless, it wasn't enough for the English midfielder to earn his first World Cup appearance.
Three of Chelsea's standout performers in Estêvão, Palmer and João Pedro will all be absent from the 2026 World Cup. With Andrey Santos also ruled out, none of the club's three Brazilian stars will feature in North America this summer.