Joao Pedro believes Chelsea team-mate Estevao can reach the same heights as Real Madrid star Vinicius Junior following his exciting start to life at Stamford Bridge.
Chelsea are unbeaten through three games of the new Premier League season having taken seven points, with only Liverpool above them in the table.
Both Joao Pedro and Estevao have had a hand in Chelsea hitting the ground running following their moves from Brighton and Hove Albion and Palmeiras respectively.
After playing a key role in their Club World Cup triumph, Joao Pedro has already scored twice in the Premier League for the Blues, while he laid on two assists in a 5-1 thrashing of West Ham, a game that saw 18-year-old Estevao supply a marvellous assist for Pedro Neto.
Both Joao Pedro and Estevao are in Brazil’s squad as they round off their successful World Cup qualifying campaign with games against Chile and Bolivia.
And, even at this early juncture in his career, Joao Pedro sees his teenage team-mate progressing to the levels of Brazil superstar Vinicius.
Speaking about Estevao and fellow compatriot Andrey Santos, Joao Pedro told The London Standard: “We always stay together at breakfast, lunch, training. I’ve known Andrey for more than eight years because we have the same sponsor. Andrey is funny, we joke a lot. Estevao is shy. It’s difficult for him to adapt. I try to push him to ask for his breakfast in English.
“Sometimes training is too long for him and he feels tired before gym. I don’t always need to do the gym, but I go with him because this is very important for him. He knows how physical the Premier League is. Me and Andrey push him.”
Asked what is so special about Estevao, Pedro replied: “He’s from the street. You can see he is natural.
“Tosin [Adarabioyo] said to me: ‘Joao, wow. Estevao is amazing’. Playing for Brazil and Chelsea at 18, oh my God. He’s going to be like Vinicius Jr.”
Vinicius finished second in the Ballon d’Or voting last year and, while it is still early in his Chelsea career, Joao Pedro has confidence he could one day contend for that most prestigious of individual honours.
“Big clubs from England have brought the top strikers from Europe this summer,” Joao Pedro added. “It will be interesting to compete with them for the Golden Boot.
“It would be a dream one day to win the Ballon d’Or. I believe in myself. Everything is possible. Maybe it can happen.”
