It only took 31 seconds for Joao Pedro to answer the doubts surrounding the "number 9 curse" at Chelsea.
The Brazilian striker performed a delicate curling shot over goalkeeper Bernd Leno's head, opening the score in Chelsea's dramatic 3-2 victory over Fulham at Craven Cottage. This was also the first match of the team under coach Xabi Alonso.
It was a memorable weekend for Joao Pedro. Before the match, he was awarded the number 9 shirt along with a new contract valid until 2034 and improved financial terms.
The number 9 shirt has long been a topic of debate at Stamford Bridge. Since Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink left Chelsea in 2004, no striker has made a really big impression wearing this number.
Didier Drogba was once brilliantly successful but wore number 11, while Diego Costa used number 19. Meanwhile, Romelu Lukaku, Alvaro Morata, Gonzalo Higuain, Radamel Falcao and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang all experienced disappointing times when receiving number 9.
Liam Delap was the last person to wear this number before Joao Pedro. The English striker only scored one goal in the Premier League last season and has reached an agreement to join Nottingham Forest.
Even, The Blues once awarded the number 9 shirt to non-attacking players such as Steve Sidwell and Khalid Boulahrouz. Tammy Abraham is one of the few cases positively assessed when taking on this role before moving to AS Roma.
Joao Pedro is not obsessed with those stories. After scoring against Fulham, the 24-year-old striker shared: "I don't believe in that. I don't think a number can create such pressure.
That view is partly strengthened by his form. Last season, Joao Pedro scored 20 goals in all competitions, exactly equal to the number 20 he once wore. He became the first Chelsea striker to reach this milestone since Diego Costa, who did the same 9 years ago.
Chelsea spent 55 million pounds, plus a maximum of 5 million pounds in extra fees, to bring Joao Pedro from Brighton last summer. That investment is receiving a worthy response, especially when the Brazilian striker continues to show his ability to make a difference in important matches.
Joao Pedro's confidence also comes from his own development journey. People close to this striker are not worried about him having to bear more pressure at Chelsea, because they have witnessed him gradually rise up and adapt to increasing expectations.
With a goal in just 31 seconds in his debut match under Xabi Alonso, Joao Pedro had an incredibly impressive way to start a new chapter. The number 9 shirt once made many Chelsea strikers struggle, but for Joao Pedro, it could be an opportunity to rewrite the story that has lasted for more than two decades.
