Estêvão was born on 24 April 2007 in Franca, São Paulo, Brazil. He began his development at the Cruzeiro academy before joining Palmeiras' youth setup in May 2021. He made his professional debut for Palmeiras in December 2023 at the age of 16, coming off the bench in a 1–1 draw at Cruzeiro that secured the Série A title. He went on to win the Campeonato Brasileiro Série A and was named both Best Newcomer and in the Team of the Year for the 2024 season, also claiming the Bola de Ouro award that year.
A right-footed attacking winger with sharp dribbling, quick decision-making, and a composure beyond his years, Estêvão drew comparisons to Lionel Messi early in his career, at one point using the nickname "Messinho."
Chelsea announced his signing in June 2024, with the transfer completing in August 2025 upon his eighteenth birthday. He made an immediate impact at Stamford Bridge, scoring a 95th-minute winner against Liverpool and later becoming the youngest Chelsea player to score in the UEFA Champions League, at 18 years and 181 days. He also scored against Barcelona in the Champions League, becoming the third teenager to score in each of his first three starts in the competition, after Kylian Mbappé and Erling Haaland.
Estêvão made his senior debut for Brazil in September 2024 against Ecuador, and scored his first international goal in a 3–0 win over Chile in September 2025. A hamstring injury sustained in April 2026 raised doubts over his participation in the 2026 FIFA World Cup.