Brazil Star Willian on His Evolution at Chelsea and Copa America Love Affair

Deep into the final of the 2004 Copa America, Cesar Delgado pounced on a loose cross in the Brazilian box and smashed the ball with conviction past Julio Cesar into the net. Marcelo Bielsa, sitting hunched at the touchline, pumped his fists momentarily in celebration. Argentina were well on their way to conquer South America.

Carlos Alberto Parreira, Bielsa’s counterpart, stood motionless in his grayish tracksuit. Then, with the last kick of the game, Adriano swiveled inside Argentina’s crowded penalty box and volleyed home a most dramatic equalizer.

The roller coaster of conflicting emotions at the end of the game remains Willian’s favorite Copa America moment.

“It was an emotional final against Argentina,” recalls the Chelsea midfielder, then a 15-year-old going through the youth ranks of Brazil's Corinthians football club. "I remember the 2004 title well. Brazil equalized the game in the very last minute and went on to win after penalties."

Willian and Brazil are eyeing a repeat performance at this month's Copa America in Chile. Lately, both have been excelling.

Early in February, when Chelsea were still competing in the Premier League, the League Cup and the Champions League, Willian extolled that this was his best season yet. He had, after all, become an integral part of Jose Mourinho’s Premier League-winning team.

"This season I totally adapted to English football and succeeded in demonstrating evolution on the tactical side," says Willian. "The success of our team this season has a lot to do with the work that we initiated in the previous season. The club maintained the core of the team and brought reinforcements with some great players."

But in the Champions League’s round of 16, PSG eliminated Chelsea, who were castigated for their negative tactics in the return leg. "It was really the low point of this season," admits Willian. "We encountered a great opponent with excellent players. Next season we will be stronger in the Champions League. Chelsea enters every competition with the objective of winning the title."

Now, the 26-year-old wants to improve his game to help his club’s quest of conquering Europe next season. At Chelsea he showed positional discipline this season, dutifully performing the tasks Mourinho requires him to do. That's allowed Eden Hazard and others to roam free and wreak havoc on opposing defenses.

Mourinho is endeared to the Brazilian because of his industry. Chelsea’s balance depends a lot on Willian’s work rate and ball retention, often at the expense of the player’s contributions in the final third of the field. The Brazilian's influence in attack has been underwhelming, with just two goals in 2014/15—against Aston Villa and Everton.

Under the Portuguese coach, Willian has very much become a player with both a defensive and attacking shirt, a characteristic he first acquired at Shakhtar Donetsk.

"I have looked to learn from each coach I work with ever since the youth ranks at Corinthians," explains Willian. "Lucescu [coach of Shakhtar Donetsk] was very important for my start in European football, I learned how to position myself differently on the pitch, how to defend more. Mourinho has been fundamental in my tactical evolution."

It’s precisely also why Willian has become so important to Carlos Dunga’s Brazil, version 2.0. For Dunga, Willian’s versatility can be an asset. He can play through the middle and drift inside, but also stick to wider positions. He can also provide some pace.

Defensively, Willian is no longer naive, leaving space in behind that opponents can exploit. That attitude is a perfect match for the pragmatism Dunga is instilling in Brazil.

During last year’s World Cup, Willian was Scolari’s main backup plan for Oscar, restricted to substitute cameos and the unpalatable honor of starting against the Netherlands in the third place play-off. "That’s part of the past," reflects Willian. "I try to not think too much about that."

In the post-World Cup era, Brazil have a near-spotless track record under Dunga, and so has Willian. The Selecao have eight wins out of eight, scoring 18 goals and conceding two. Willian has started in every game, except against Chile in March; in all, he's scored two goals and provided three assists.

His standout performance was against Turkey in November. Willian’s first-half omnipresence was rewarded with a goal after 44 minutes when he drilled home, after Neymar had broken through on the left. In the second-half, a double pass with Neymar carved open the Turkish rearguard for Brazil’s captain to score.

Brazil’s "Neymar-centrism" is not a puzzler, according to Willian, who draws a parallel with Argentina’s Lionel Messi. "I think that every team would like to have a Messi, a Neymar. That’s a triumph in itself, not a problem. But both Brazil and Argentina have other great players, who form a great team. This mix of a good team with talented players makes the difference."

Another Brazil star, Oscar, who together with Neymar forms a part of Brazil’s spine, picked up a minor injury in training with the London club and will miss the Copa America. Dunga will want Willian's Chelsea colleague fully fit for next autumn’s World Cup qualifiers.

"Oscar is a great player and he would be missed in each and every team," says Willian. "It’s a pity that he got injured, but the Brazilian team can count on other great players and Brazil can play a great role at the Copa America."

In Group C, Brazil have been paired with Colombia, Venezuela and Peru, an interesting but benignant draw. It’s compulsory for the five-time world champions to progress, and even more so to win the tournament. Argentina, South America’s other traditional powerhouse, are faced with the same onus. They must win.

"The Copa America has various great teams, like Uruguay, who are the current champions, Chile, who are the hosts, Colombia, who reached the quarter-finals of the World Cup," says Willian. "That’s without counting Mexico, Paraguay and others who will be strong. There are not just two favorites.”

Any odd permutations aside, Brazil and Argentina should meet at the Copa America’s semi-final stage in Concepcion. Then Willian might remember those few minutes in 2004 that changed Brazil’s fate and propelled the Selecao to continental glory.

All quotes in this piece were obtained firsthand.