England Chelsea FC’s new youngster Estevão Willian was born to his father Ivo Gonçalves and Dona Zeze.
Meet Ivo Gonçalves
Estevão’s father, Ivo Gonçalves, is a former goalkeeper turned church pastor whose life revolves around his son’s career. He’s been the noticeable driving force behind Estevão’s football journe.
He had to relocate the family from their hometown of Franca to Belo Horizonte for Cruzeiro’s academy, then to São Paulo for Palmeiras, and now to London for Chelsea.
Ivo handled contracts (like Estevão’s landmark Nike deal at age 10) and instilled discipline, often seen on the sidelines during training, “telling Estevão off” when needed .
Meet Dona Zeze
Estevão’s mother, who is mostly called Dona Zeze , prefers privacy but she being the family’s emotional core cannot go untold.
Just like every caring mother will do, Don Zeze moved alongside them at every step, ensuring stability.
Although less visible publicly, her support is a constant whether during Estevão’s record-breaking signings or his recovery from injuries like a broken toe in 2022 .
