Chelsea have secured their spot in the final of the ongoing FIFA Club World Cup 2025 after a commanding 2-0 victory over Brazilian side Fluminense in the semi-final. The player of the match was none other than Joao Pedro, the club’s latest signing, who scored both goals and made an instant impact just six days after joining the Blues from Brighton & Hove Albion.
Facing his former club in such a high-stakes match was clearly an emotional moment for the Brazilian forward. Despite netting twice and propelling his new team into the final, Pedro refrained from celebrating too much out of respect for Fluminense — the club that shaped his early football career.
“They [Fluminense] gave everything to me. They showed me to the world. If I’m here, it’s because they believed in me,” Pedro said in the post-match interview. “I’m very grateful but this is football — I have to be professional. I feel sorry for them, but I have to do my job.”
Pedro made his Chelsea debut in their 2-1 quarter-final win over Palmeiras, but it was in the semi-final where he truly announced himself in Blue. Starting the game, he looked sharp from the beginning, linking up well with teammates and making key runs. His two well-taken goals not only secured the win but also gave Chelsea plenty to be excited about ahead of the final.
“Today, I think because I started, I had more time to do my stuff and I had to score,” Pedro said. “The team won, the team played well and that’s important.”
“He showed today how good he is” – Maresca on Pedro
Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca praised the 22-year-old’s performance, highlighting how his skill set fit perfectly into their tactical approach against a deep-defending side.
“We knew against a low block that Joao was going to help us because he has quality in the last third against teams that defend deep. He showed today how good he is, but it’s just the beginning,” Maresca told Chelsea’s official website.
“Joao was playing a little deep, and we know how good he is at dropping and linking with his team-mates. He is very good technically in small spaces, and that’s why we decided to bring him here,” the Italian tactician added.
Now, Chelsea will shift focus to the final, where they will face either Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) or Real Madrid. The highly anticipated clash is scheduled to take place on 14 July.
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