This Joao Pedro is not the determined and talented forward who, within his first year at Stamford Bridge, was crowned world champion, scored 20 goals in the 2025/26 campaign, and was voted by Blues supporters as their Player of the Season.

He is just a young man who enjoys being back home in Brazil with people he cares about.

‘When I go to Brazil and stay with my friends, I try not to think too much about football,’ the 24-year-old says after sitting down with us at the team hotel during our pre-season tour of Australia and Asia.

‘I don’t play football with them or anything like this; I just try to relax and enjoy myself with them.

‘Brazil is my country; it’s where I grew up. So, whenever I have a holiday, it always feels good to be back there with my friends and family. It helps me recover and enjoy my break and means I can come back 100 per cent.’

Admittedly, Joao Pedro didn’t want the summer off; he would have much rather represented Brazil at the World Cup in North America.

Yet time away – which also included a holiday in Cyprus – has allowed Joao Pedro to return to Chelsea fresh and sharp. That has been evident throughout pre-season, with our No.20 scoring seven goals in just five matches.

Yet he believes there is more to come, and the Brazil international wants individual achievements to align with collective success in the season ahead.

‘My first year here was special, but it wasn’t what we wanted as a group. So, I will continue to give my best and hopefully I can have another good season and the team also achieves our targets.

‘I know that when a new player joins a club, sometimes it can be a little bit difficult. For me at Chelsea, it was completely different. I felt at home straight away and won a trophy after just ten days!

‘I feel very comfortable here and, hopefully, we can win more titles together.’

On Joao Pedro’s return to Chelsea for pre-season training, there was a new voice to listen to on and off the pitch, with Xabi Alonso now leading the first team.

The Blues forward has enjoyed working with the Spaniard thus far, emphasising that Alonso has quickly developed a positive and open environment at Cobham and beyond.

He said: ‘The manager is very open; he has come here to help everyone. I’ve had a few chats with him, which I have enjoyed a lot. I’m looking forward a lot to the season to try to help him and Chelsea achieve the targets.’

Throughout his first season at Chelsea, what stood out was Joao Pedro’s understanding of different roles within the side and his adaptability on the pitch.

It meant he scored a variety of goals, from the long-range piledriver at Napoli to the close-range header at home against West Ham United.

And let’s not overlook his spectacular overhead kick against Nottingham Forest, which was named Goal of the Season by supporters.

‘My position has always been number nine,’ says Joao Pedro. ‘But because I have good technique, I can come deeper or go to the wing. But I just want to play and help the team on the pitch.

‘Sometimes I will be deep, sometimes in the box. What I can’t lose is the instinct of where I need to be on the pitch. Sometimes, in football, you just need to feel.

‘If you just stay in the box, maybe you don’t get many chances. But if you stay outside, you can be far away from the goal. So, I need to use this feeling and then score goals.

‘When I was younger, I played in different positions; I think it has helped me a lot. But we have top players in the middle of the pitch, so I will focus on scoring the goals!’

It's an approach that has certainly worked throughout Joao Pedro's time at Stamford Bridge – and Blues supporters will hope it leads to more success in the season ahead.