There are certain traditions in English football that border on the supernatural. Among them is the infamous Chelsea number nine shirt. For the better part of two decades, inheriting the squad number has felt less like a promotion and more like a tactical death sentence. From Fernando Torres and Álvaro Morata to Gonzalo Higuaín and, most recently, Liam Delap, the jersey has been heavy enough to sink the most confident of forwards.
Enter João Pedro.
If the Brazilian feels any pressure wearing the supposedly cursed digit, he certainly isn't showing it. It took exactly 31 seconds for Chelsea’s newly minted number nine to open his account for the 2026/27 Premier League campaign. Latching onto a perfectly weighted pass from Cole Palmer, Pedro expertly lifted the ball over Fulham’s Bernd Leno to set the tone for a thrilling 3-2 victory at Craven Cottage on Monday night.
A Statement of Intent Under Alonso
The dawn of the Xabi Alonso era at Stamford Bridge required a statement, and João Pedro delivered one with breathtaking efficiency. The tactical shift demands forwards who are fluid, defensively diligent, and absolutely ruthless in transition. Pedro fits the mold perfectly.
Last season, wearing the number 20 shirt, the former Brighton man was a revelation. He netted 20 goals across all competitions, cementing his place as Chelsea’s Player of the Season while helping the club secure the Club World Cup. His reward? A freshly signed contract extension, a permanent shift to the central striker role he craves, and the courage to claim the squad number that so many of his predecessors actively avoided.
Liam Delap, who previously held the shirt, managed just two goals last season before being frozen out by Alonso and reassigned away from the first team ahead of a £45 million move to Nottingham Forest. For Pedro to step into that void and score before the away end had even found their seats is the ultimate display of psychological fortitude.
The Analytics of a Proper Number Nine
Here at Matchwise, we look beyond the narrative to see if the data backs up the bravado. Can Pedro hit or exceed the 20-goal mark this year?
The early indicators are overwhelmingly positive. Pedro isn't just relying on volume; he’s a remarkably efficient finisher. His underlying metrics highlight a player making high-value runs, directly benefitting from Alonso’s system. By demanding Pedro operate strictly as a central focal point, Alonso has eliminated the wide drifts that occasionally diluted his attacking threat in the past.
Furthermore, his chemistry with Cole Palmer and summer signing Morgan Rogers—who also opened his account against Fulham—forms one of the most dynamic front lines in the Premier League. Palmer’s elite ability to thread line-breaking passes perfectly complements Pedro’s instinct to play off the shoulder of the last defender. If the supply line remains this potent, matching or bettering his 20-goal haul from last season isn't just possible; it's the baseline expectation.
Killing the Curse
When the subject of the number nine curse was raised, Pedro remained entirely unbothered, focusing instead on Chelsea's winning traditions and his own ambitions. It is precisely this clinical, ice-cold mentality that might just be the antidote to Stamford Bridge's longest-running phobia.
Scoring inside the first minute of the season is a dream scenario, but the real test of a number nine is maintaining that output through the grueling winter months. Still, as opening statements go, João Pedro's Craven Cottage masterclass was emphatic. The number nine curse isn't just under threat—it might finally be dead.