Estevao, writing in the Players' Tribune, has revealed he's been moved to tears by messages from the current Santos star.
Estevao will leave Palmeiras for Chelsea this summer and wrote: "The very first time he messaged me, I nearly cried. My biggest reference in football knows about me.
"And do you remember how sad I was when I missed the penalty against Corinthians? Dad, you usually give me a complete breakdown of my game, but that time there were no words. You looked at me, and you could tell that I was completely broken.
"I disappeared into my own little world, just me and my phone. I didn’t even want to look at the news. I opened Instagram, looking for something to cheer me up. A funny meme. A silly reel. Anything. Then I checked my DMs, and I saw it. Neymar Jr. Another DM from my football idol."
"He didn't have to do it"
"He really didn’t have to do it," Estevao continued. "But he knew how much pressure a 17-year-old can go through in Brazil, and how the fans and the media can kick you when you’re down.
"He told me to stay confident, and said that I’m going to miss many more penalties in my career. It’s part of the game. What matters is how you react. Mum, Dad, I’m not even sure you realise what that meant to me.
"When he said that I would be the next genius in Brazil, I felt like printing the words and hanging them on my wall. So to get to play with Neymar? I can only do my part."