EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. – Rare is the day a player earns a first start for their new team in the semifinal of a competition despite being under contract with an entirely different club during the group stage, but leave it to the new-look Club World Cup to shoehorn a new quirk into the structured soccer calendar. Even rarer, though, is for that player to leave a tangible mark in those circumstances, and while an oddity afforded Joao Pedro the chance to do such a thing, his brace in Chelsea’s 2-0 win over Fluminense on Tuesday was a first glimpse at his quality in a Chelsea shirt.
Joao Pedro wasted little time making an impact in the match, scoring in the 16th minute to give the Blues the lead. He was in the right place at the right time when a deflection meant the ball landed at his feet, taking a few touches before hitting a curling shot from the edge of the area that sailed into the top right corner of the net. Somehow, his second goal in the 56th minute was even more impressive – he made a lengthy run into the box, beating one defender before finding a sliver of space and sending the ball into the back of the net. It was undoubtedly an impressive first start for him at Chelsea, one that puts him one game away from his first title with his new club.
56’ JOÃO PEDRO HAS DONE IT AGAIN! ⚽️⚽️
A brace in his first @ChelseaFC start, two absolute bangers. The Brazilian wonderkid is making serious noise. 💫🇧🇷
Watch the @FIFACWC | June 14 - July 13 | Every Game | Free | https://t.co/i0K4eUtwwb | #FIFACWC #TakeItToTheWorld #FLUCHE pic.twitter.com/ornUPa0dUe
— DAZN Football (@DAZNFootball) July 8, 2025
Chelsea signed the 23-year-old exactly for moments like this, with manager Enzo Maresca explaining pre-match that he views Joao Pedro as someone who can play across the front line and could be one of the “four, five players scoring 10, 12 goals each [rather] than just one striker [who can] score 40 goals.” It is perhaps the most logical way to explain the Blues’ transfer strategy, since they literally have 20 attackers on the roster right now. Maresca’s desire to have goals from multiple sources is practical, maybe even downright necessary as they spend next season in the UEFA Champions League. Even if they offload a few, though, Chelsea’s current situation means there will be incredible competition for playing time over the next season – and Joao Pedro is wasting no time rising to the top of the pack.
While his versatility has been one of his trademarks, Tuesday’s outing allowed him to demonstrate the style that makes him an entertaining watch. His two goals showcased his range, too, between a slick flick of the ball for the first and a riveting and clinical dash down the pitch that started the play for the second goal. It was a batch of skills that would make him useful for any team, especially a youthful Chelsea side that believes they are in the process of building Europe’s next best team.
18’ João Pedro, are you serious?! ⚽💥
First start, first goal, and it’s against his old club! Chelsea 1-0
Watch the @FIFACWC | June 14 - July 13 | Every Game | Free | https://t.co/i0K4eUtwwb | #FIFACWC #TakeItToTheWorld #FLUCHE pic.twitter.com/FCGpBnlBnc
— DAZN Football (@DAZNFootball) July 8, 2025
Tuesday’s performance was just as much about the new signing’s skill as it was circumstance. He may become a starter at Chelsea in no time, but the fact that he started against Fluminense, his former club, is directly due to a suspension for fellow newcomer Liam Delap and injuries elsewhere. How exactly Maresca will balance his inflated squad is one of the key intrigues in Sunday’s final, regardless of who the opposition will be – the chance to win a trophy usually forces a manager to decide what truly constitutes their best team, at least for the current period.
Joao Pedro will need to build a solid body of work to justify his hefty transfer fee of around $75 million from Brighton and Hove Albion. Maresca may be planning for a minimum of 10 goals this season from someone like him, and though he delivered just that for Brighton last season, five of those were penalties. His expected goals tally per 90 is less than two players already on Chelsea’s roster – Nicolas Jackson and Noni Madueke, the latter of whom is expected to leave. Whether he can maximize his abilities at Chelsea, and whether the inexperienced Maresca can tap into his potential, remains the big question, but in what seems like a game of musical chairs for Chelsea’s next great goalscorer, Joao Pedro is undoubtedly an active contender.
