Joao Pedro Scores For Chelsea On Debut And Refuses To Celebrate

Last Updated:July 09, 2025, 15:44 IST

Joao Pedro scored twice in his debut for Chelsea, leading them to a 2-0 victory in the Club World Cup semifinal. Despite his success, he showed respect for his former club.

Chelsea's Joao Pedro reacts after scoring his side's opening goal during the Club World Cup. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)

Joao Pedro had just scored a stunning 20-yard curling shot in his debut start for Chelsea, giving his team the lead in a Club World Cup semifinal just days after signing with the London giants. As he began to celebrate, he paused.

He clasped his hands.

He muted his joy.

He refused to display excessive exuberance against the team that had nurtured him from a young boy into a professional.

“When I was young, I didn’t have nothing. They gave everything to me," he reflected after his two goals propelled Chelsea to a 2-0 victory over Fluminense on Tuesday, securing their place in the Club World Cup final against either Real Madrid or Paris Saint-Germain.

João Pedro found the back of the net in the 18th and 56th minutes, both with his right foot—the first from just outside the penalty area and the second after cutting inside about 15 yards from goal.

At 23, he has reached a major club after starting in the Fluminense academy at the age of 10 or 11, moving to Watford at 18, and then to Brighton at 21. He made his debut for Brazil’s national team in November 2023, but like many of his country’s top talents, he can earn significantly more abroad.

“It doesn’t make sense for Brazil to try to compete with European clubs in terms of finances," Fluminense coach Renato Gaúcho explained through a translator. “Brazilian clubs trade players and sell them to Europe so they can survive, and that’s been true even since I was a player."

Top English clubs benefit from the Premier League’s global popularity and lucrative broadcast rights, joining their Spanish, German, Italian, and French counterparts in reaping the financial rewards of deep Champions League runs.

A Bright Start

João Pedro joined Chelsea from Brighton on July 2, signing with a six-time English champion and two-time Champions League winner, a club now one victory away from its second world championship. Despite his success, he remained mindful of his roots.

“They showed me to the world. If I’m here, it’s because they believed in me, so I’m very grateful."

Chelsea signed him last Wednesday after he netted 19 goals in 58 Premier League matches for Brighton, and he made his debut two days later as a 54th-minute substitute in the 2-1 quarterfinal victory over Palmeiras.

Roberto De Zerbi, Brighton’s former manager and now Marseille’s coach, had recommended João Pedro to Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca.

“The reason why we brought him is because this season we faced many teams with low blocks and his quality is very good against this kind of team," Maresca said.

With Chelsea striker Liam Delap suspended for yellow-card accumulation, Maresca brought in João Pedro. While most of Chelsea’s roster had been training and playing almost nonstop since last summer, João Pedro hadn’t played since April 19, an advantage in the stifling heat and humidity of MetLife Stadium.

“He was on holiday," Maresca noted, “so probably is a bit more fresh compared to the rest."

With AP Inputs

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