Joao Pedro scored in just 31 seconds on his Chelsea debut, lifting his shot over Bernd Leno to secure a 3-2 win at Craven Cottage under manager Xabi Alonso. The Brazilian was handed the number nine shirt and a new contract running until 2034, reigniting debate over the so-called curse that has plagued strikers since Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink’s departure in 2004. Despite high-profile failures by Lukaku, Morata, and Aubameyang in the shirt, Joao Pedro dismissed the curse, saying numbers don’t decide pressure.

He matched his shirt number last season with 20 goals, the first Chelsea striker since Diego Costa to do so. Chelsea paid £55m plus up to £5m in add-ons to sign him from Brighton. His mother Flavia Junqueira, who raised him in Ribeirao Preto after his father Jose Joao de Jesus (Chicao) was imprisoned, said she shared his dream without a price.

Joao Pedro overcame early doubts about his strength, crying during moves and academy struggles, but persisted with his mother’s support and a personal trainer. His rise from defensive midfielder to leading man is seen as justified by his entourage.