Chelsea's Joao Pedro Endorses Cole Palmer as Brazil's Next No.10

Joao Pedro has expressed strong admiration for his Chelsea teammate Cole Palmer, suggesting the England midfielder could be the perfect candidate to take on Neymar’s iconic No.10 role for Brazil. Both players will be absent from their national teams at the upcoming 2026 World Cup, having been excluded from their final squads.

During an appearance on the Rio Ferdinand Presents podcast, Pedro recounted how he initially underestimated Palmer’s abilities before witnessing his performances at Stamford Bridge. The Brazilian forward, who enjoyed an impressive debut season with Chelsea, highlighted Palmer’s intelligence and “magic” on the pitch as qualities essential for orchestrating play for Brazil, a five-time World Cup champion.

“He’s very intelligent. He’s magic,” Pedro said. “I said to him before, ‘I didn’t think you were that good.’ And he looked at me. I said, ‘Yeah, but now because I play with him, yeah, he’s different. I said to him, ‘Why don’t you come to Brazil? The number 10 there, mate. No problem.’ Because in Brazil, we don’t have this guy. If you watch us, we play 4-2-4. We don’t have a number 10.”

Despite their club successes, both Pedro and Palmer will watch the World Cup from home. Palmer’s omission from England’s squad was unexpected, with Chelsea’s manager Thomas Tuchel explaining that Palmer lacked consistent individual form at the international level. Tuchel emphasized the need for tactical discipline over creative flair, which influenced his decision to leave Palmer out.

Similarly, Pedro was left out of Brazil’s squad despite being named Chelsea’s Player of the Season. Brazil’s coach Carlo Ancelotti addressed the decision personally, citing a preference for more experienced players and the return of Neymar. Ancelotti expressed regret over Pedro’s exclusion, especially given the forward’s 20 goal involvements during his first top-flight season with Chelsea.

Pedro spoke positively about Ancelotti’s tactical approach with Brazil, emphasizing the coach’s focus on collective strength rather than individual stardom. He noted that Ancelotti allows top players the freedom to express themselves within the team framework.

“He says he doesn’t want one guy. He wants the group. Because he thinks the group has more power than one guy,” Pedro explained. “And I think with him there, when he talks, people listen. Because he wins everything. And with the players, he tries to build relationships with everyone. He tells you what he wants to do but also gives the freedom for you to play your football, to enjoy. So, I think he’s very good for the team.”

Looking ahead to the World Cup in North America, Pedro expressed confidence that Brazil can end their 24-year wait for a World Cup title. He identified Vinicius Junior and Raphinha as pivotal players who will thrive under Ancelotti’s philosophy of shared responsibility, provided the squad remains united.

“Of course, Vinícius is going to be the guy. But for Vinicius to be the guy, he needs the team. So, he doesn’t want to say, if you don’t win, it’s your fault. No, no, no,” Pedro said. “The group needs to look in the same way, to think the same way. And then you’re going to see Vinicius, you’re going to see Raphinha.”

Pedro also predicted a high-profile encounter between Brazil and England in the tournament’s knockout stages. Brazil are drawn to face Morocco, Haiti, and Scotland in the group phase, but Pedro concluded with a confident forecast: “We’re going to beat England in the quarter-final.”