Chelsea forward João Pedro gave an interview discussing topics including this summer's World Cup.
On his goals for this year
One of my goals is to play in the World Cup, which is also why I left Brighton last summer. I spoke to my agent and told him: I'm ready to take a bigger step, and joining a bigger club like Chelsea will give me more visibility, increasing my chances of being selected for the Brazil national team. One of my goals this year is to help Chelsea compete for titles in all competitions, but my biggest goal is to play in the World Cup this summer.
How is your relationship with Carlo Ancelotti?
My first call-up from him was for the match against Chile in Rio de Janeiro. During our conversation, Ancelotti showed me what he wants me to do on the pitch, which is very similar to how I played at Brighton and now at Chelsea. I not only spoke with him but also with his assistant Paul Clements, who previously worked at Chelsea and is English. With him, I have more freedom. I think, from my perspective, it's very clear what they want, and I try to give my all in every game wearing the Chelsea shirt to meet their expectations.
On hoping to help Brazil win the World Cup this summer
God willing, I hope to become a World Cup champion, because I've experienced the glory of being a FIFA Club World Cup champion (helping Chelsea beat Paris Saint-Germain) in the same stadium that will host the World Cup final.
On Chelsea's mid-season managerial change
A new coach always brings some uncertainty, because I got a lot of playing time under Enzo Maresca before. When the manager changed and Rosenior took over, I was one of the first players to talk to him. I told him that this is a World Cup year and I need to play, because I represent the Brazil national team, which has many excellent players, and I need game time to prove myself. Rosenior has given me a lot of trust, and thank God, I've been playing well recently, and everything is going smoothly.
