A Trophy That Could Travel 10,000 Kilometers

It sounds like something out of a script: Palmeiras fights for the Copa Libertadores title in Lima, Abel Ferreira leads another high-stakes night… and more than 10,000 kilometers away, two former Verdao players follow every detail as if they were still in the locker-room tunnel. They are Estevao Willian and Richard Ríos, two footballers who no longer wear green but could still lift the continent’s most coveted trophy.

Football loves poetic twists, and this is one of the best: two key contributors who now play in Europe might finish the season with a Libertadores winners’ medal. All because the competition’s regulations still recognize them as part of Palmeiras’ campaign.

Estevao Willian: The Rising Star Who Took Off Before Leaving

At just 18, Estevao Willian shook Brazilian and European football. Before moving to Chelsea, he left his stamp on the group stage: five matches, four goals, and performances that signaled he was ready for the leap. His real explosion, though, came in the Club World Cup, where he shined against the very club that would later sign him — one of those football ironies fans never forget.

He now lives in London, but his heart —and his recent story— remain tied to Palmeiras. If the Verdao lifts the trophy, he becomes a champion too.

Richard Ríos: From Palmeiras’ Engine Room to the Benfica Project

The other name in this unusual chapter is Richard Ríos, one of Abel Ferreira’s most trusted midfielders. He also played five group-stage matches, also scored —twice— and also used the Club World Cup as the showcase that opened Europe’s doors. Benfica didn’t hesitate: they wanted him immediately.

Today, he’s immersed in Portuguese football, but with one eye inevitably fixed on Lima. Because that Libertadores… carries his fingerprints as well.

A Libertadores That Could Create “Invisible Champions”

The rulebook is clear: registered players who took part in the campaign are entitled to the title even if they’re no longer with the club for the final. And in a tournament where every minute matters, the contributions of Estevao and Ríos were far from minor.

That’s why, as Palmeiras tries to write another golden chapter in its history, two of its former soldiers wait from afar, hoping for what could be one of the most meaningful titles of their careers.

A Libertadores trophy that might travel thousands of kilometers to reach their shelves — even without them stepping on the field in Lima… but still appearing in the photo of the champions.

Because that’s football: unpredictable, beautiful, and full of stories that seem impossible until they happen.