João Pedro
Active- Current or last club
- Chelsea
- Country (nationality)
- Brazil
- League or competition
- Premier League
- Position
- Striker
- How is the religion known?
- Reported by reputable media
- Last checked
- 7 October 2026
We list a player’s religion only where they have spoken about it publicly or it has been reliably reported, and we link our sources. If something is wrong, or a player’s views have changed, please tell us and we will review it.
Table of Contents
What religion is João Pedro?
João Pedro is a Brazilian professional footballer who is a Christian, although he has chosen to keep his personal faith largely out of the public spotlight. Unlike some footballers who openly discuss their religious beliefs or frequently reference them on social media, Pedro prefers to let his actions and performances speak for themselves.
Pedro was raised by Brazilian parents, and Christianity is the predominant religion in Brazil, with both Catholicism and Protestantism playing significant roles in the country’s culture. Although he has never officially confirmed his denomination, multiple biographical sources describe him as being raised in a Christian household.
João Pedro plays as a striker for Premier League club Chelsea and the Brazil national team. Previously, he played for Fluminense, Watford, and Brighton & Hove Albion. In July 2025, he moved to Chelsea and subsequently helped the team win the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup. Additionally, João Pedro has represented Brazil at the senior international level and was named Chelsea’s Player of the Season for 2025–26.
Early life
Born on 26 September 2001 in Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo, Brazil, João Pedro is the son of Flávia Junqueira and José João de Jesus, a former professional footballer known as Chicão. Following his parents’ early separation and his father’s subsequent 2002 imprisonment, he was raised solely by his mother.
João Pedro began his youth development by entering the academy system of Fluminense. He initially occupied a defensive midfield role before shifting to attacking midfield and ultimately settling as a forward.
Club career
João Pedro was promoted to Fluminense’s first team in January 2019, making his professional debut later that month in the Campeonato Carioca. He recorded his first senior goals on 19 May 2019, scoring a brace during a Campeonato Brasileiro Série A fixture against Cruzeiro. He completed his time with the Brazilian club, having registered 7 goals in 29 appearances across all competitions.
In January 2020, João Pedro formally joined Watford after a pre-contract agreement had been secured in October 2018 prior to his senior debut, following the receipt of his UK work permit in late 2019. He scored his first goal for the club on 26 September 2020, netting the match-winner during a 1–0 EFL Championship victory over rivals Luton Town. His initial Premier League goal followed on 20 November 2021 in a 4–1 win against Manchester United. Across his four-season tenure at Vicarage Road, João Pedro scored 24 goals in 109 appearances for the Hornets before securing a multi-million-pound transfer to the South Coast.
Brighton and Hove Albion
On 5 May 2023, Premier League side Brighton & Hove Albion confirmed the acquisition of Pedro from Watford for an undisclosed fee, reported to be a club-record £30 million. He made his competitive debut on 12 August 2023, scoring a penalty during a 4–1 Premier League victory over Luton Town. In his debut campaign, he excelled on the continental stage, finishing as the UEFA Europa League group stage top scorer after netting six goals in six matches.
On 23 May 2025, the club announced that Pedro had been dropped from the squad for their final match of the season against Tottenham Hotspur. This internal disciplinary measure followed his prior absences against Wolverhampton Wanderers and Liverpool due to a high-profile training ground incident.
Chelsea
In July 2025, Chelsea completed the signing of João Pedro from Brighton & Hove Albion for a reported fee of £60 million. Just six days after finalizing his move, he was named in the starting lineup for Chelsea’s FIFA Club World Cup semi-final against his boyhood club, Fluminense. He scored twice in an 18th-minute strike and a second-half finish from a counter-attack, sending Chelsea through to the final with a 2-0 win. Chelsea went on to win the tournament, giving Pedro a major trophy within weeks of joining the club.
On 22 August 2025, João Pedro recorded his first Premier League goal for Chelsea, scoring a headed finish from a corner during a 5–1 victory over West Ham United at the London Stadium. Later that year, on 9 December, he registered his first UEFA Champions League goal in a 2–1 away defeat against Atalanta. On 30 August 2026, he faced his former club, Brighton & Hove Albion, recording a goal, an assist, and an own goal during a 4–3 victory.
International career
João Pedro made his senior debut for Brazil on 17 November 2023, in a 2026 FIFA World Cup South American qualifying match against Colombia, which Brazil lost 1-2. He also earned a cap for Brazil’s Under-23 team that year.
In May 2026, the Brazil national football team officially announced its 26-man squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, and Pedro was omitted from the selection.
Personal life
José João de Jesus, known as Chicão, the father of João Pedro, was sentenced to 16 years in prison in 2002. He was convicted of being an accessory to murder.
Pedro has the names of his mother and grandmother tattooed on his arms.
