Joao Pedro took just 31 seconds to make a statement about how he is handling the so-called curse of the number nine shirt at Chelsea. The Brazilian deftly lifted his shot over Fulham goalkeeper Bernd Leno to set his side on their way to a dramatic 3-2 win at Craven Cottage in manager Xabi Alonso's first game in charge on Monday. It was a memorable weekend for Joao Pedro personally, having been handed the coveted number nine shirt and improved financial terms on a new contract that will run until 2034.
It might seem trite, but there is a sizeable group of Chelsea supporters who believe in the so-called curse. Not since Dutch striker Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink left the club in 2004 have the club had a prolific striker in the number nine shirt. Didier Drogba wore number 11 during his successful spell at Stamford Bridge and Diego Costa had the number 19 shirt, but high-profile forwards including Romelu Lukaku, Alvaro Morata, Gonzalo Higuain, Radamel Falcao and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang struggled while wearing number nine.
All endured difficult and relatively short periods at the club. The last player to wear the shirt before Joao Pedro was Liam Delap, who is currently in talks with Nottingham Forest about leaving Stamford Bridge after scoring only one Premier League goal last season. Non-strikers, including midfielder Steve Sidwell and defender Khalid Boulahrouz, also wore the shirt, although some supporters would argue Tammy Abraham performed well as the number nine before his move to Roma.
Asked about the curse after scoring against Fulham, while starring alongside both Cole Palmer and club-record £117m signing Morgan Rogers, Joao Pedro told the Mirror: "I don't believe in that. I don't think numbers can decide this pressure." Last season, the 24-year-old matched his shirt number by scoring 20 goals in all competitions, becoming the first Chelsea striker since Diego Costa to reach that mark nine years earlier. It has left the Blues delighted with the £55m deal, plus up to £5m in add-ons, they agreed with Brighton to sign the forward last summer.
Those close to Joao Pedro also believe his recent recognition is justified. In addition, his close-knit entourage have no concerns about his ability to handle the pressure of being Chelsea's leading man, having shared in his remarkable rise to the top. Three reasons Chelsea could challenge for title - and one they may not "If I gave him one thing, it is to fight for what you want all the time," his mother Flavia Junqueira explained to BBC Sport.
Looking at Joao Pedro's story, that is exactly what he has had to do. His mother, along with his grandmother, have largely brought him up. Reports from Joao Pedro's early childhood show his father, former Botafogo footballer Jose Joao de Jesus - more commonly known as Chicao - spent around eight years in prison after being charged as an accessory to murder and was rarely around.
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