Joao Pedro has been awarded the EA Sports Premier League Player of the Month for August 2026, capping off a powerful start to the season for Chelsea under Xabi Alonso. The Brazilian forward beat teammate Cole Palmer and six other shortlisted nominees in a public vote to win the first monthly award of his career.
The 24-year-old has been involved in four goals in Chelsea’s first two Premier League games of the campaign. He opened the scoring with a strike timed at 31 seconds, the fastest ever goal in a Premier League opening weekend. Then, he laid on Palmer’s decisive third in a 3-2 victory at Craven Cottage on 24 August. Six days later, the pattern repeated itself against Brighton, where he scored in the 32nd minute and set up Palmer’s 74th-minute winner in a frenetic 4-3 success.
He also turned a Pascal Gross effort beyond Emiliano Martinez for an own goal that was extraordinary in every conceivable direction that afternoon against his erstwhile employers. The error made him the sixth player in Premier League history to score, assist and concede in the same match and the first Chelsea player ever to complete that peculiar treble.
The triumph ends an unusually long wait for the West London club in this category, with Palmer the last Blues recipient in September 2024. The accolade comes just three weeks after Joao Pedro committed his long-term future to Stamford Bridge, signing an improved contract until June 2034 and taking over the club’s storied No. 9 shirt. He finished his first season with 20 goals in all competitions and was voted Chelsea’s Player of the Season by the club’s fans.
Chelsea to host Hull City as Joao Pedro chases more records
Alonso’s side return to Stamford Bridge on Saturday afternoon to face Hull City looking for an immediate redress after a chastening afternoon in north London. Chelsea are fourth on six points, their perfect start undone by a 1-2 reverse at Arsenal on September 6.
The visitors come in as one of the more unlikely early-season stories, sitting third and still unbeaten from three matches. Hull opened their campaign with a 2-0 victory over Manchester United, followed by a win against Coventry City and a goalless draw with Aston Villa. Jakirovic duly earned the Manager of the Month prize, finishing ahead of Mikel Arteta, Alonso and Enzo Maresca.
Chelsea’s attacking production remains the most persuasive case for their credentials, scoring seven goals in their first two league games. Much will again depend on the increasingly symbiotic understanding between Joao Pedro, Palmer and record summer signing Morgan Rogers.