Chelsea forward João Pedro recounted his early footballing experiences, recalling a childhood kit and his first professional assist, in a recent interview with the club’s official website.
The 24-year-old Brazilian international began his youth career with Botafogo de Ribeirão Preto, the primary club in his hometown. “I reckon it was the club from my city, Botafogo de Ribeirao Preto, where I started in the academy when I was four years old,” Pedro said. “That was the first shirt I remember having. They were the traditional team from my city, that’s why I started there. It’s not a really big club, but it’s the big club from my city.”
Pedro then moved to Rio de Janeiro to join Fluminense, where he continued his development. He remembers a coach at Fluminense who instilled confidence in him during games. “When I was young, I remember one coach from Fluminense who gave me a lot of confidence in the games, so it was exceptionally good to have him at that time,” he explained. “When you have a coach who makes you feel confidence from him, I think you are more ready to play the games. I needed that when I was that age.”
His professional debut came for Fluminense against Volta Redonda in a regional tournament. Pedro came off the bench to provide an assist for Roger Ibanez, who now plays for Al-Ahli in Saudi Arabia. “My first professional game was for Fluminense against Volta Redonda,” Pedro stated. “I was on the bench for the game, but I came on and I gave an assist in my first appearance for the professional team. It was for [Roger] Ibanez.”
Pedro’s first professional goal was a header for Fluminense against Flamengo at the Maracanã stadium. “My first goal was against Flamengo in Maracana, a header for Fluminense,” he recalled. “Igor Julio was the right-back at that time and he crossed the ball in and I scored. That made it 3-2, but we couldn’t get another goal, so unfortunately we lost.”
Recognition from the public began during his time in Fluminense’s youth academy, after a prolific season with the Under-17s. “In the academy when I had a good season in the Under-17s, I think I scored like 35 goals, or maybe 39,” Pedro said. “Then the club media started to post me more, so people started to come to the games and I started to get recognised then.”
Marcos Paulo, currently playing for Juventude in Brazil after a stint with Atletico Madrid, was Pedro’s first roommate on away trips when he turned professional. The pair progressed through the Fluminense academy together and maintain a friendship, regularly playing EA FC together. “It was Marcos Paulo. We used to play together in the academy at Fluminense. Now he plays in Brazil for Juventude, but he was at Atletico Madrid before. We spent a lot of time together because we came through the academy and went to the first team together. I still speak to him and we play Pro Clubs on EA FC, so it’s very good.”
João Pedro joined Chelsea in July 2025, according to Transfermarkt, and currently wears the number 20 shirt. He has too represented Brazil at the U23 and senior levels, earning six caps for the national team as of November 2025.
