Chelsea struggled in the final third on Friday night as they fell to a comfortable 3-0 defeat against Brighton & Hove Albion at the Amex Stadium.
On Sunday, however, youngster Deivid Washington showed Enzo Maresca’s side exactly how to find the net with a stellar, albeit bizarre, goal for Brazil’s Under-20s, helping them secure the South American U20 Championship for a record-extending 13th time.
Deivid, who joined Chelsea from Santos in 2023, opened the scoring in a 3-0 win over Chile – a victory that not only sealed Brazil’s triumph but also secured their place at the U20 World Cup later this year.
Picking up the ball around 25 yards from goal, the 19-year-old striker drove forward with intent, weaving past two Chile defenders before unleashing a shot at goalkeeper Ignacio Sáez.
Sáez looked set to make a routine save, but instead, he awkwardly palmed the ball straight up into the air. As it dropped, it fell behind him, bouncing just over the line to gift Deivid a rather fortunate yet crucial goal.
Deivid’s goal marked his third of the tournament, making him Brazil’s top scorer – one ahead of Pedro and two ahead of Ricardo Mathias, both of whom also found the net against Chile.
After the game, the Chelsea youngster took to Instagram to share a photo of himself lifting the South American U20 Championship trophy, captioning it: "Thank you, Lord, for another dream come true."
Chelsea’s South American scout, Alysson Marins, was quick to congratulate him, replying with a series of fire emojis.
Deivid has made just three senior appearances for Chelsea since his move to West London, totaling just 25 minutes on the pitch.
He has, however, been a regular for the club's Under-21s, where he has impressed with 10 goals in 18 games.
The young forward won’t be featuring for Chelsea again anytime soon.
According to The Athletic, the Blues have agreed to loan Deivid back to Santos for the 2025 Campeonato Brasileiro Série A season, which runs from March to December.
There is no obligation or option to buy, though Chelsea have included a break clause allowing them to recall him in the summer if needed.
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