Palmeiras coach Abel Ferreria defended Estêvão on Friday after the young star admitted feeling nervous ahead of his move to Chelsea.
Speaking to reporters earlier this week, winger Estêvão, 18, said he had felt "anxiety" and "butterflies in my stomach" as he waits to complete his switch to Stamford Bridge next month, in a deal agreed last June.
The winger played 63 minutes in Philadelphia on Saturday, as Palmeiras beat Botafogo 1-0 after extra time to qualify for the quarterfinals.
"It's really difficult. It's like a dream that I'm going to make come true," Estêvão said.
"I have to focus here, I have to work, but it's not easy. The closer it gets, the more anxiety sets in. But I'm trying to focus here, to leave [Palmeiras] in the right way."
Estêvão's admission led to some criticism from Palmeiras fans and local media, claiming it showed he was distracted from the club's campaign in the tournament.
"You know the difference between a human and an animal? What distinguishes one from the other? It's feelings, and emotions," Ferreira told a news conference on Friday. "It's normal to be nervous in these kind of games, to feel more anxious.
"It's normal for a boy who had a dream that's becoming a reality. It's normal that [Estêvão] feels that. He's an 18-year-old kid, he was naive to say what he said. And a lot of you [the press] slaughtered him, which is what you do to players."
Estêvão started all three of Palmeiras' Club World Cup group games against Porto, Al Ahly and Inter Miami, providing three assists.
He is rated as one of the best young talents in South America, and made his senior debut for Brazil last September.
