In a recent friendly match held in Lille, France, Brazil faced Tunisia, resulting in a 1-1 draw. A notable incident during this match was the second penalty awarded to Brazil, which became the focal point of post-match analysis and debate.

Estêvão, an 18-year-old winger for Chelsea, previously converted a penalty in the 44th minute, equalizing the score after Tunisia had initially taken the lead. However, in the 77th minute, Brazil was awarded a second penalty, and head coach Carlo Ancelotti opted for Lucas Paquetá, a substitute player from West Ham, to take the shot instead of Estêvão. Paquetá's attempt ended unsuccessfully as it went over the crossbar.

In the aftermath, Estêvão disclosed that he had received instructions to allow Paquetá to take the penalty. He stated, "It was an order that came. I really wanted to take the spot-kick, but the order came in. I supported my teammate so he could score the goal. Unfortunately, he missed, but heads held high, we have to train, improve because in a World Cup we have to take advantage of these opportunities."

Coach Ancelotti elaborated on his rationale for selecting Paquetá for the penalty, asserting that his decision aimed to relieve some pressure from Estêvão, who had already demonstrated his proficiency by scoring earlier in the match. He noted, "For the second penalty, I changed the penalty taker because I wanted to take some of the pressure off Estêvão, so I put Paquetá in, who usually takes them very well."

Following the game, Paquetá expressed remorse for his missed opportunity, acknowledging its potential impact on the match outcome. He stated, "I apologize for the missed penalty. I'm sad. We probably would have won with that penalty. My anxiety to score made me make a decision before that final touch, which I believe affected my performance." He indicated a willingness to learn from the incident, emphasizing his intent to improve for future opportunities.

Despite concluding the year without a win, Estêvão focused on the positives of his experience with the national team. After transferring from Palmeiras to Chelsea for a reported fee of £29 million ($38.6 million) in the summer, he has adapted to the Premier League successfully, scoring five goals in 11 appearances for Brazil. He remarked, "It's been a very special year. I don't think I had many ups and downs, but I was able to handle everything that happened. Being here with the national team means that the work has been done well at the club and at home."

As Brazil prepares for upcoming competitions, including the World Cup, the team is expected to incorporate the lessons learned from this match, focusing on converting scoring opportunities into successful outcomes on the international arena.