*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 23:35, 15 December 2024 (UTC) ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 10 September 2024
João Pedro was born in Ribeirão Preto to parents Flavia Junqueira and José João de Jesus, more commonly known as Chicão, a professional footballer for Botafogo. Chicão was jailed for sixteen years in 2002, serving eight, for being an accessory to murder. By the time of Chicão's imprisonment, he and Junqueira had separated.[3]
Club career
Fluminense
João Pedro joined the youth system of Fluminense, and his mother moved with him to Rio de Janeiro. As he moved through the club's academy, he switched from being a defensive midfielder to an attacking midfielder, and then a striker.[3] On 19 October 2018, before he had even made his senior debut, EFL Championship club Watford reached an agreement on a deal to sign João Pedro in January 2020 on a five-year contract.[4] On 28 March 2019, João Pedro made his senior debut for Fluminense as a stoppage-time substitute in a 2–1 loss to arch-rivals Flamengo in the Campeonato Carioca.[5] A month later on 29 April, he made his league debut as a late substitute in the 1–0 loss to Goiás.[6] He then proceeded to fire seven goals in his next four games, including a hat trick in a 4–1 Copa Sudamericana victory against Atlético Nacional.[7]
Watford
On 30 October 2019, it was announced that he had received his UK work permit and would sign for Watford in January 2020.[8] Initially delayed by the world-wide Covid shutdowns, Pedro scored his first goal for Watford in a 1–0 win over Luton Town on 26 September 2020, his 19th birthday.[9] On 16 October 2020, He scored a long-range goal in a win over Derby County.
Pedro scored his first Premier League goal against Manchester United on 20 November 2021. He dedicated the goal to his late stepfather, Carlos Junior. On 15 January 2022, he scored the equalizer against Newcastle United in the 88th minute. The match ended in a 1–1 draw.[10]
Brighton & Hove Albion
On 5 May 2023, Premier League side Brighton & Hove Albion confirmed the acquisition of Pedro from Watford, with the transfer fee undisclosed,[11] but reported to be in the region of a club-record £30 million fee.[12] He made his debut in the opening game of the season on 12 August, starting the match and later scoring from the spot in the 4–1 home win over Premier League newcomers Luton Town.[13] Pedro scored Brighton's first ever European goals on 21 September, netting two from the spot in the eventual 3–2 home Europa League loss against Greek championsAEK Athens.[14] Pedro finished the Europa League group stage as the outright top scorer with six goals in six games, including a late winner in the final match, as Brighton topped their group to qualify for the last 16.[15]
On 24 August 2024, Pedro scored the winning goal in stoppage time of a 2–1 victory over Manchester United.[16]
International career
On 19 August 2023, Pedro was called up for the Brazil Olympic football team.[17] Pedro would make his Brazil debut as an 84th minute substitute in a 1–0 loss against Morocco.
Three months later on 6 November, Pedro was called up to the Brazil senior team for the first time.[18] On 16 November, Pedro would make his debut for the Seleção after coming on as a substitute for the injured Vinícius Júnior at the 27th-minute mark in a 2–1 loss to Colombia.[19]
