Estevao Credits Reece James and Maresca for Helping Him Adapt to Life at Chelsea

Estevao Credits Reece James and Maresca for Helping Him Adapt to Life at Chelsea

Since arriving from Brazil this summer, Estevao has been gradually adjusting to life on and off the pitch in England. The 17-year-old winger has not only been adapting to a new league and a new culture—but also to a new language.

Learning the Language of the Dressing Room

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Only a few months removed from Brazil, Estevao is still building confidence in his spoken English. For now, he prefers media interviews in Portuguese—but behind the scenes, his communication is improving every day.

“Yeah, I’m starting to understand my teammates quite a lot now,” he told Chelsea’s in-house media.
“It is just the day-to-day stuff really—the routine, the everyday conversation. So yeah, I am starting to converse with them a little bit, and I am really happy to be developing like that.”

The young winger’s gradual progress has been boosted by the presence of Portuguese speakers in the squad—including fellow Brazilians and Pedro Neto. Still, Estevao emphasised that he increasingly communicates comfortably with English-speaking teammates as well.

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Learning Football English — With Help From Reece James

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An important part of the adaptation is learning English football terminology—the specific, fast-paced language of the pitch. And Estevao says one player in particular has helped him: captain Reece James.

“Yes, particularly with Reece, who’s someone I’m close with on the pitch. You know, learning the language of the teammates playing close to you is part of the settling-in process.”

This is more than vocabulary—it’s chemistry. It’s the shared shorthand of movement, urgency, positional cues, and instinct.

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Maresca’s Communication: Spanish Instead of Portuguese

Interestingly, Estevao also revealed that he communicates with manager Enzo Maresca in Spanish—rather than English or Portuguese.

“To understand me, to get me. I think that’s really cool of him. And I listen to what he says,” the winger explained.
“I think he’s an incredible person, human being, and coach. I have no complaints about him.”

For Lusophone speakers, understanding Spanish is far easier than understanding English. Maresca’s adjustment shows deliberate effort to support Estevao’s integration.

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A Young Talent Settling In Beautifully

While still shy with English sentences on camera, Estevao is clearly growing in confidence around teammates. His laughter in training, his sharper on-pitch communication, and his rapport with squad leaders like Reece James show a young player increasingly at home at Cobham.

Chelsea didn’t just sign a talent—they signed a personality, a learner, a team player.

And every day, his connection to Chelsea—linguistically and culturally—is strengthening.