When debating the best strikers in the world, the usual suspects are immediately thrown into the ring. However, if you look past the media narratives and dive strictly into output and tactical influence, Chelsea forward João Pedro has a massive claim to the throne this season.
Following his move from Brighton to Stamford Bridge in the summer of 2025, many questioned if the Brazilian could carry the weight of a top-tier European attack. Fast forward a year, and he is not just rising to the occasion but part of one of best forward lines in Europe.
The Surprising Numbers
Off numbers alone the Brazilian is in elite conversations. Across the entire 2025/26 season, he netted 20 goals and provided 6 assists in 50 appearances across all competitions, with 15 of them being Premier League goals.
However, it is his form since the turn of the year that has truly separated him from the pack. Since the beginning of 2026, no Premier League player can beat his tally of 15 goals in all competitions.
He has carried that blistering momentum straight into the current 2026/27 season. In just four Premier League starts, he has already racked up three goals and three assists, earning the Player of the Month award for August.
The Complete Forward
What separates Pedro from the fact is the fact that he can play attacking midfield and number 9. Now with Palmer and Rogers around him, he can hold up the ball, link up play and start but also finish attacks.At 6-foot-1, he brings the physicality to battle dominant centre-backs, but he has the technical ability to make stuff happen with ball at his feet.
His heat maps show a player willing to do the grueling defensive work to initiate the press, all while maintaining the composure to consistently find the back of the net.
While others might edge him out on pure goal volume over a three-year span, on current form, no striker in world football offers the complete, match-winning package quite like João Pedro.
