Estevão's statement addressed to Palmeiras fans

Palmeiras ended its participation in the Club World Cup after being defeated by Chelsea 2-1, on Friday night (July 4th), at Lincoln Financial Field, in Philadelphia (USA). The match, valid for the quarterfinals of the tournament, was marked by a balanced duel in its second half, but decided by an unfortunate play in the final stretch of the match.

Scorer of Palmeiras' only goal, Estêvão played his last match for the São Paulo club. Sold to Chelsea, the opponent in the quarterfinals, the youngster said he was proud of his career with Alviverde and sent a loving farewell message to the fans.

"Fans, thank you very much for your support. You were fundamental to me. I hope you never forget me, because I will never forget you," he said, emotionally.

The game

The team led by Abel Ferreira struggled to find their feet on the pitch during the first 45 minutes. Chelsea took advantage of their opponent's defensive lapses and opened the scoring with Cole Palmer in the 16th minute, after an individual play. The English team continued to press and could have extended their lead, but wasted opportunities with Nkunku and Palmer.

During the break, Palmeiras adjusted their positioning and came back more competitive. The equalizer came just 7 minutes into the second half, with a beautiful shot from Estêvão, who dribbled past the defense and finished with precision, hitting the corner of goalkeeper Robert Sánchez's goal. The match then became open, with chances for both sides, and the Portuguese coach called on Paulinho, Maurício and Flaco López to try to increase the team's offensive presence.

However, in the 37th minute, after a short corner, Malo Gusto crossed low and the ball deflected off Giay before touching Weverton, who ended up scoring an own goal. The move decreed the elimination of Verdão, who still tried to press in the final minutes, but was unable to react.

Despite the defeat, Palmeiras left the competition with a significant amount of prize money. Adding up the amounts received for participation and performance up to the quarterfinals, the club earned US$ 39.71 million — the equivalent of R$ 217.5 million.