Forward · #9
João Pedro
Brazil · 6'1" · 24
His role
The Goal ScorerJoão Pedro leads the line. He drops toward midfield to link play, pulls centre-backs out of position and attacks the box once Chelsea work the ball wide.
His story
- 01Drama
He volunteered for Chelsea's cursed number nine shirt
Fernando Torres, Falcao, Morata, Higuaín, Lukaku and Aubameyang had all worn Chelsea's number nine and struggled beneath its reputation. João Pedro asked for it anyway, just after being voted the club's Player of the Season. Thirty-one seconds into his first league game in the shirt, he scored the fastest opening-round goal in Premier League history.
- 02Off the pitch
From a beach in Rio to world champion in eleven days
João Pedro was on holiday in Rio when Chelsea called, although he had quietly kept training because he knew a move was possible. Six days after signing, he started a Club World Cup semi-final against Fluminense, the club that raised him, and scored twice. Five days later he scored again in the final: eleven days from the beach to champion of the world.
- 03Did you know
He is in a Madonna film
Madonna's 2026 short film Confessions II takes an unexpected turn during its Danceteria segment: João Pedro appears on screen, with Cole Palmer in the film too. Neither player has explained how two Chelsea forwards ended up in a Madonna project. For now, the strange cameo simply exists.
Career
Watford2019–2022
Brighton and Hove Albion2023–2024
Chelsea2025–
