The Brazilian forward João Pedro was the standout player in Chelsea's 4-1 victory against Aston Villa, held this Wednesday in Birmingham.
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With the three goals scored in the match, he not only recorded his first "hat-trick" in the top tier of English football but also solidified an impressive statistic for the year.
According to a survey by Opta, João Pedro is the player who has scored the most goals in the Premier League at the start of 2026 without needing to take penalties.
- Since January 1st, the forward has played in 10 matches of the competition, registering 8 goals and 2 assists.
- None of these eight goals came from penalty kicks.
In an interview with the official channels of the London club, the Brazilian did not hide his happiness but made a point of sharing the credit with the team.
"I think it was another dream night for me. Since I arrived here in England, I dreamed of this moment, playing in a great team and scoring my hat-trick. And I think it was a perfect night," the player declared.
He also emphasized the importance of the result for the team's goals this season: "We still have nine games ahead and the fight to be among the top four. I think the team expected this from me."
Prolific Season
Despite the novelty in the Premier League, scoring three times in the same game is not exactly new in the young player's career:
- For Brighton: He had already scored a hat-trick in England in January 2024, during the 5-2 thrashing of Sheffield United, valid for the FA Cup.
- For Fluminense: At 18 years old, João Pedro also scored three times in the 4-1 victory against Atlético Nacional, in the Copa Sudamericana.
Signed by Chelsea in July last year, during FIFA's extra window for the 2025 Club World Cup, a tournament where he also stood out with three goals, the Brazilian is having an excellent season.
Currently, he is the top scorer for the English team in 2025/26, accumulating 17 goals and 6 assists in 38 matches across all competitions.
So, will he be our number 9 for the World Cup? SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS!
This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.