João Pedro wins Premier League Player of the Month award for August 2026
Key Takeaways
- •João Pedro won the EA Sports Premier League Player of the Month award for August 2026 after contributing two goals and two assists in Chelsea's first two matches of the season.
- •He is the first Chelsea striker to claim the honor since Diego Costa in 2016 and the first Chelsea player in any position to win it since Cole Palmer in September 2024.
- •Chelsea opened the 2026/27 campaign with a 3-2 victory over Fulham and a 4-3 win against Brighton, Pedro's former club.
- •Announced on September 11, the award makes Pedro only the seventh Brazilian player in Premier League history to receive the monthly honor.
- •Chelsea paid a reported €63.7 million to sign Pedro from Brighton, and he scored 20 goals in all competitions during the 2025/26 season, including 15 in the Premier League.
João Pedro has been named the EA Sports Premier League Player of the Month for August 2026 after making an immediate impact for Chelsea at the start of the new season.
The Brazilian striker scored twice and provided two assists across Chelsea’s opening two matches, a two-week run that earned him the monthly honor. He is the first Chelsea striker to win the award since Diego Costa in 2016, ending a wait of nearly a decade for the club.
Four goal contributions in two matches
Chelsea began their 2026/27 campaign with a 3-2 victory over Fulham. Pedro made his mark almost immediately, scoring moments after kickoff and helping set the tone for a chaotic west London derby.
His second appearance was even more dramatic. Chelsea hosted Brighton, Pedro’s former club, and secured a 4-3 victory in a thriller at Stamford Bridge. Across the two matches, Pedro recorded a combined two goals and two assists.
The award was announced on September 11, after Pedro won a public vote against a shortlist that included several other prominent performers. He became only the seventh Brazilian player in Premier League history to receive the monthly award, joining players such as Lucas Moura and Rodrigo Muniz.
Pedro is also the first Chelsea player in any position to win the honor since Cole Palmer received it in September 2024.
Pedro’s rise from Brighton signing to Chelsea’s leading striker
Chelsea paid a reported €63.7 million to sign Pedro from Brighton. During the 2025/26 season, he scored 20 goals in all competitions for Chelsea, including 15 in the Premier League. That total made him the club’s most prolific striker in years, and he was named Chelsea’s internal Player of the Season.
Pedro also won Chelsea’s internal Player of the Month award in February and March 2026. Those honors indicated that his August performances continued a run of form that had begun during the second half of the previous season, rather than representing a sudden breakthrough.
At 24, Pedro is entering a stage of his career that can prove defining for a striker.
