Arsenal legend Thierry Henry delivered a stunning comparison for Chelsea's young star Estevao, saying the Brazilian's dazzling performance in a 3-0 Champions League victory over Barcelona reminded him of Manchester United great Ryan Giggs.
A Night of Brilliance at Stamford Bridge
The memorable European night on Tuesday, November 25, 2025, saw an 18-year-old Estevao seize the spotlight at Stamford Bridge. With Cole Palmer absent, the teenager produced a scintillating individual display that outshone Barcelona's own prodigy, Lamine Yamal, and cemented his reputation as one of world football's most exciting talents.
The match turned decisively in Chelsea's favour after Jules Kounde's own goal put the hosts in the ascendancy. The moment of pure quality arrived in the 55th minute when Estevao, picking up the ball out wide, danced past defender Pau Cubarsi and unleashed an unstoppable strike past goalkeeper Joan Garcia, sending the home fans into raptures.
Substitute Liam Delap, who came on for Alejandro Garnacho, later added a third goal to complete a comprehensive victory. The result secured Chelsea's third win of the group stage and moved them up to fifth in the table.
Estevao Enters the Record Books
Estevao's thunderous strike was not just crucial for the match; it was historic. The goal meant he became only the third teenager ever to score in each of his first three Champions League starts, following in the illustrious footsteps of Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland.
The youngster later admitted it was the most 'special' goal of his fledgling career. On the CBS Sports punditry panel, the analysis was filled with superlatives, with Jamie Carragher and Micah Richards joining Thierry Henry in heaping praise on the Brazilian.
'You wouldn’t like to play against him,' Henry stated. 'He’s coming at you all the time. He’s reminding me of… I know it’s early doors… but that’s why I think Ryan Giggs was one of the best because he was coming at you all game.'
The French icon elaborated on the comparison, emphasising the relentless, testing nature of a true winger. 'Whether he’s having a good game or not a good game, he’s trying to test you all the time and see if you’re going to stop him or not. That’s how it is as a winger.'
Henry's Plea: 'Let Him Cook'
Henry passionately argued that Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca must allow Estevao the freedom to express his primary talent: dribbling. He warned against the modern tendency for coaches to be overly risk-averse.
'The first quality of the kid is to dribble. Why are you going to take that away?' Henry questioned. He used a powerful boxing analogy: 'It’s like if you stop a boxer from jabbing. How is he going to work?'
Henry's final message was clear and emphatic: 'Let him cook, let him play. We need to enjoy this type of player in these types of games.' He reinforced his point with an anecdote from his own managerial experience at the Olympics, where instructing a player to dribble without fear directly led to winning a crucial semi-final.
Other key performances from the match included:
- Marc Cucurella: The left-back delivered a faultless display, expertly keeping Lamine Yamal quiet and becoming a cult hero with the fans.
- Ronald Araujo: The Barcelona captain had a night to forget, sent off before half-time for a second yellow card, leaving his team with ten men.
- Pedro Neto: Played as a central striker and was a livewire in attack, though a lack of composure let him down at times.
The resounding win sends a strong message about Chelsea's capabilities in this season's Champions League, with their young Brazilian star firmly at the heart of their ambitions.
