Joao Pedro had only been in the Premier League for a month, but his elite mentality left Troy Deeney in awe.
The talkSPORT pundit has revealed how the Brazilian striker, who has started excellently at Chelsea, impressed with his footballing dreams.
Pedro spent eight years with boyhood club Fluminense
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Pedro spent eight years with boyhood club FluminenseCredit: AFP
He earned a move to English football and didn't take long to show his potential
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He earned a move to English football and didn't take long to show his potentialCredit: Getty
Pedro joined Watford from Fluminense in 2020 as an up and coming 18-year-old talent and made his top flight debut in June that year.
He then netted nine Championship goals to help send the Hornets back to the Premier League before departing in 2023 for Brighton.
After 30 goals in 70 outings on the south coast, Chelsea completed a £60million deal earlier in the month and saw instant success.
Pedro scored two stunning goals in their 2-0 Club World Cup semi-final win against his former side Fluminense.
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And Deeney, who featured alongside him 13 times at Watford, spoke on talkSPORT Drive about his aspirations just weeks after signing.
"I had him on the phone last night because he was going to come and do a chat with us but he got drug tested, because they probably didn't believe he could do that as well as most people," he said.
"When you look at it, he's in this position that when he came in at 18-years-old, he wanted to prove to everyone that he was physically strong.
"You know what it's like when you get lads coming from a different country, coming to the British culture, they want to come and have a fight, they want to show you that they're good enough.
"He did that, tried to fight everybody, I had to have a little word with him and be like, 'Mate, leave that to the big boys, you're just really good, go and do that.'
"I remember a conversation with him and Heurelho Gomes, who you know as well as I did, had a little chat and he said, 'Mate, I want to be playing for Brazil in the World Cup, I want to be the No.9.'
Watford captain Deeney was able to see first-hand just how good he was
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Watford captain Deeney was able to see first-hand just how good he wasCredit: Getty
Pedro told Deeney that he's eyeing glory at the 2026 World Cup
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Pedro told Deeney that he's eyeing glory at the 2026 World CupCredit: talkSPORT
Chelsea will hope he can score plenty more goals before then
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Chelsea will hope he can score plenty more goals before thenCredit: Getty
"I'll never forget that, but he said that within a month of being there. Now you fast forward a few years, he's got the potential to be doing that at the World Cup here in the States.
"I love everything he's doing, I like the steps he's taken, and now Chelsea have got a real, real player who's focussed. He was on the beach a week ago, working on his own with a personal trainer."
Deeney was then asked about what Pedro, now 23 and ready to face Paris Saint-Germain in the Club World Cup final, can improve on and said: "I think his ruthlessness.
"I think he wanted to show everybody that he was a player at one point. You know when they start going from a No.9 to a No.10 and linking, and doing all...
"Going and getting the ball where the centre midfielder should, he's come away from that, especially at Chelsea now. I think he feels he's got the players behind him that he can trust himself.
"But the thing I'd like to see, he did ok at it yesterday, but his link-up play has got to be better.
Pedro has already earned three caps for the Brazilian national team
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Pedro has already earned three caps for the Brazilian national teamCredit: Getty
And he could become a world champion this weekend
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And he could become a world champion this weekendCredit: Getty
"If they're going to do what they want to do, which is win against PSG, he has to look after the ball when it comes up to him horribly. Stick your backside into someone, nick fouls and look after the ball."
Pedro made his Chelsea debut off the bench in their quarter-final win against Palmeiras before earning his first start just days later.
The forward first scored an excellent curling finish before thumping in a second on the counter-attack when facing Fluminense.
Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca will be delighted to see both Pedro and fellow new strike Liam Delap already off the mark this summer.
But the Club World Cup final on Sunday evening against PSG, live on talkSPORT, will come as his their biggest test so far.
The Champions League winners thrashed Real Madrid 4-0 and will be the favourites to win at the MetLife Stadium.
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Pedro and his Blues teammates will be ready to go against the tide though and end their 2024/25 campaign as world champions.
Then the 2026 World Cup will begin to emerge on the horizon, with Pedro hopeful of leading the line for Brazil in the United States.
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