João Pedro (footballer, born 2001)

For other uses, see João Pedro.

In this Portuguese name, the first or maternal family name is Junqueira and the second or paternal family name is de Jesus.
João Pedro
Personal information
Full name João Pedro Junqueira de Jesus[1]
Date of birth (2001-09-26) 26 September 2001[2]
Place of birth Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo, Brazil
Height 1.82 m (6 ft 0 in)[2]
Position(s) Striker
Team information
Current team
 Chelsea
Number 20
Youth career
2011–2019 Fluminense
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2019 Fluminense 29 (5)
2020–2023 Watford 104 (23)
2023–2025 Brighton & Hove Albion 58 (19)
2025– Chelsea 0 (0)
International career‡
2023– Brazil U23 1 (0)
2023– Brazil 3 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 13:11, 2 July 2025 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 20 March 2025

João Pedro Junqueira de Jesus (born 26 September 2001), also known as João Pedro, is a Brazilian professional footballer who plays as a forward for Premier League club Chelsea and the Brazil national team.

Early and personal life

João Pedro was born in Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo to parents Flavia Junqueira and José João de Jesus, more commonly known as Chicão, a former professional footballer who most notably played for Botafogo-SP. Chicão was jailed for sixteen years in 2002, serving eight, for being an accessory to murder. By the time of Chicão's imprisonment, he and Junqueira had separated.[3]

Club career

Fluminense

João Pedro joined the youth system of Fluminense, and his mother moved with him to Rio de Janeiro. As he moved through the club's academy, he switched from being a defensive midfielder to an attacking midfielder, and then a striker.[3] On 19 October 2018, before he had even made his senior debut, EFL Championship club Watford reached an agreement on a deal to sign João Pedro in January 2020 on a five-year contract.[4] On 28 March 2019, João Pedro made his senior debut for Fluminense as a stoppage-time substitute in a 2–1 loss to arch-rivals Flamengo in the Campeonato Carioca.[5] A month later on 29 April, he made his league debut as a late substitute in the 1–0 loss to Goiás.[6] He then proceeded to fire seven goals in his next four games, including a hat trick in a 4–1 Copa Sudamericana victory against Atlético Nacional.[7]

Watford

On 30 October 2019, it was announced that he had received his UK work permit and would sign for Watford in January 2020.[8] Initially delayed by the world-wide Covid shutdowns, Pedro scored his first goal for Watford in a 1–0 win over Luton Town on 26 September 2020, his 19th birthday.[9] On 16 October 2020, he scored a long-range goal in a win over Derby County.[10]

Pedro scored his first Premier League goal against Manchester United on 20 November 2021. He dedicated the goal to his late stepfather, Carlos Junior. On 15 January 2022, he scored the equaliser against Newcastle United in the 88th minute. The match ended in a 1–1 draw.[11]

Brighton and Hove Albion

On 5 May 2023, Premier League side Brighton & Hove Albion confirmed the acquisition of Pedro from Watford, with the transfer fee undisclosed,[12] but reported to be in the region of a club-record £30 million fee.[13] He made his debut in the opening game of the season on 12 August, starting the match and later scoring from the spot in the 4–1 home win over Premier League newcomers Luton Town.[14] Pedro scored Brighton's first ever European goals on 21 September, netting two from the spot in the eventual 3–2 home Europa League loss against Greek champions AEK Athens.[15] Pedro finished the Europa League group stage as the outright top scorer with six goals in six games, including a late winner in the final match, as Brighton topped their group to qualify for the last 16.[16]

On 24 August 2024, Pedro scored the winning goal in stoppage time of a 2–1 victory over Manchester United.[17]

On 19 April 2025, he was sent off for flicking his hand into Brentford defender Nathan Collins' face during a 4–2 loss and was given a three game ban for violent conduct.[18]

On 23 May 2025, the club announced Pedro had been dropped from the squad for their next match against Tottenham Hotspur and was absent for the previous matches against Wolverhampton Wanderers and Liverpool over a training ground incident.[19]

Chelsea

On 2 July 2025, Pedro was signed by fellow Premier League club Chelsea on a deal until 2033 for a reported fee of £55m plus £5m add-ons.[20] He was included in Chelsea's 2025 FIFA Club World Cup squad during the tournament's second registration window on that same day.[21] He made his debut in the quarter-finals two days later, where he came on as a second-half substitute in Chelsea's 2–1 victory against Palmeiras.[22] On 8 July 2025, he scored a brace in the semi-final against his boyhood club Fluminense.[23]

International career

On 19 August 2023, Pedro was called up for the Brazil Olympic football team.[24] Pedro would make his Brazil debut as an 84th minute substitute in a 1–0 loss against Morocco.

Three months later on 6 November 2023, Pedro was called up to the Brazil senior team for the first time.[25] On 16 November, Pedro would make his debut for the Seleção after coming on as a substitute for the injured Vinícius Júnior at the 27th-minute mark in a 2–1 loss to Colombia.[26]

Career statistics

Club

As of match played 8 July 2025[27]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League State league[a] National cup[b] League cup[c] Continental Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Fluminense 2019 Série A 25 4 4 1 4 2 — 4[d] 3 — 37 10
Watford 2019–20 Premier League 3 0 — 2 0 0 0 — — 5 0
2020–21 Championship 38 9 — 1 0 1 0 — — 40 9
2021–22 Premier League 28 3 — 1 1 0 0 — — 29 4
2022–23 Championship 35 11 — 0 0 0 0 — — 35 11
Total 104 23 — 4 1 1 0 — — 109 24
Brighton & Hove Albion 2023–24 Premier League 31 9 — 2 5 1 0 6[e] 6 — 40 20
2024–25 Premier League 27 10 — 3 0 0 0 — — 30 10
Total 58 19 — 5 5 1 0 6 6 — 70 30
Chelsea 2024–25 Premier League — — — — — 2[f] 2 2 2
2025–26 Premier League 0 0 — 0 0 0 0 0 0 — 0 0
Total 0 0 — 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 2 2 2
Career total 188 46 4 1 13 8 2 0 10 9 2 2 218 66
  1. ^ Includes Campeonato Carioca
  2. ^ Includes Copa do Brasil, FA Cup
  3. ^ Includes EFL Cup
  4. ^ Appearances in Copa Sudamericana
  5. ^ Appearances in UEFA Europa League
  6. ^ Appearances in FIFA Club World Cup

International

As of match played 20 March 2025[27]
Appearances and goals by national team and year
National team Year Apps Goals
Brazil 2023 1 0
2024 1 0
2025 1 0
Total 3 0

References

  1. ^ "2023/24 Premier League squads".
  2. ^ a b "João Pedro". Premier League. Archived from the original on 26 July 2023. Retrieved 26 July 2023.
  3. ^ a b "The Joao Pedro story: Tragedy, tears and a special talent". The Athletic. 29 November 2020. Archived from the original on 9 August 2024. Retrieved 8 December 2020.
  4. ^ "Official: Hornets Agree Pedro Signing". Watford. 19 October 2018. Archived from the original on 24 May 2019. Retrieved 29 May 2019.
  5. ^ "FLUMINENSE 1 – 2 FLAMENGO". Soccerway. 28 March 2019. Archived from the original on 7 February 2021. Retrieved 29 May 2019.
  6. ^ "FLUMINENSE VS. GOIÁS 0 – 1". Soccerway. 29 April 2019. Retrieved 29 May 2019.
  7. ^ "Joao Pedro: The Watford-bound striker on a hot streak for Fluminense". Sky Sports. 29 May 2019. Archived from the original on 3 February 2021. Retrieved 29 May 2019.
  8. ^ "Watford teenager Joao Pedro granted work permit year after signing". BBC Sport. 29 October 2019. Archived from the original on 21 October 2020. Retrieved 30 October 2019.
  9. ^ "Watford 1–0 Luton". BBC. 26 September 2020. Archived from the original on 30 October 2020. Retrieved 26 September 2020.
  10. ^ "João Pedro scores again as Watford beat Derby". The Guardian. 16 October 2020. Retrieved 9 July 2025.
  11. ^ "Watford snatch late draw at Newcastle". BBC Sport. Retrieved 15 January 2022.
  12. ^ "Albion agree Joao Pedro deal". Brighton & Hove Albion. Archived from the original on 5 May 2023. Retrieved 5 May 2023.
  13. ^ "Joao Pedro: Brighton agree to sign Watford forward for club record fee". BBC Sport. Retrieved 5 May 2023.
  14. ^ "Subs seal impressive win for Albion". Brighton & Hove Albion. 12 August 2023. Archived from the original on 23 September 2023. Retrieved 12 August 2023.
  15. ^ "Joao is spot on but Albion lose Europa League opener". Brighton & Hove Albion. 21 September 2023. Retrieved 21 September 2023.
  16. ^ "Pedro winner puts Brighton into Europa League last 16". BBC Sport. Retrieved 15 December 2023.
  17. ^ "Brighton & Hove Albion 2–1 Manchester United". BBC Sport. 24 August 2024. Retrieved 24 August 2024.
  18. ^ Robertson, Harry (19 April 2025). "Brentford see off Brighton in 4–2 thriller as Mbeumo shines". Reuters. Retrieved 23 May 2025.
  19. ^ "Brighton leave out joint top-scorer Pedro from Spurs trip over training incident". Reuters. 23 May 2025. Retrieved 23 May 2025.
  20. ^ Collins, Ben (2 July 2025). "Pedro joins Chelsea and could feature in Club World Cup". BBC Sport. Archived from the original on 2 July 2025. Retrieved 2 July 2025.
  21. ^ "Joao Pedro completes Chelsea transfer". Chelsea F.C. 2 July 2025. Archived from the original on 2 July 2025. Retrieved 2 July 2025.
  22. ^ "Joao Pedro on Chelsea debut, quarter-final victory and Fluminense reunion". Chelsea F.C. 2 July 2025. Archived from the original on 5 July 2025. Retrieved 2 July 2025.
  23. ^ Steinberg, Jacob (8 July 2025). "João Pedro sends Chelsea to Club World Cup final as stunners sink Fluminense". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 8 July 2025.
  24. ^ "Joao Pedro confirmed in latest Brazil under-23s squad". The Argus. 19 August 2023. Retrieved 20 August 2023.
  25. ^ "Endrick and Several Others Called Up for First Time for Brazil Senior Team". Reuters. 6 November 2023. Retrieved 6 November 2023.
  26. ^ "Colombia 2–1 Brazil (November 16, 2023)". ESPN. 16 November 2023. Archived from the original on 22 November 2023. Retrieved 27 November 2023.
  27. ^ a b João Pedro at Soccerway. Retrieved 31 August 2024.
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