Xabi Alonso: Joao Pedro is like Benzema and as good as Haaland

Xabi Alonso is not holding back the praise for his striker. The Chelsea manager said on Friday that Joao Pedro shares stylistic traits with Karim Benzema, his former Real Madrid teammate, and that the Brazilian now competes on the same level as Erling Haaland, Manchester City's main attacking reference. The comments came just hours after the 24-year-old was named Premier League Player of the Month following a stunning start to the campaign.

Joao Pedro's goalscoring start that excites Chelsea

In the first three matches of the season, Joao Pedro has scored twice and provided two assists. That production earned him the league's Player of the Month award, an individual honor he had never won before. He finished ahead of teammate Cole Palmer, the last Chelsea player to claim it in September 2024.

Finding the net in a blue shirt is nothing new for the forward. Since arriving at Stamford Bridge at the start of last season, he has recorded 25 goals and 11 assists in 57 appearances. In his debut campaign he became the first club striker to surpass 20 goals in a single season since Diego Costa, and he also played a key role in lifting the Club World Cup.

Is he at Haaland's level? Alonso leaves no doubt

Asked whether Joao Pedro could be compared to the Norwegian goal machine, who won the Premier League Golden Boot last season with 27 goals, Alonso gave a direct answer. He explained that both belong in any conversation about the competition's top strikers and that his player deserves that kind of billing. The Brazil international signed a contract extension last month keeping him at Chelsea until 2034 and started the season wearing the number nine shirt, a clear statement from the club.

If you count how many top strikers we have in the Premier League, I'm sure that Joao is there, Haaland for sure is there. So I would rate him that way.

Haaland's numbers across his last 57 matches for City are remarkable: 42 goals and nine assists. He is a pure penalty-box specialist, while the Brazilian has played as an attacking midfielder, winger and even deeper in midfield during his career. That tactical range makes him a more rounded footballer capable of influencing the game across different areas of the pitch.

Benzema, the mirror for Joao Pedro's game

Alonso shared a dressing room with Benzema for 195 appearances at Real Madrid and knows the Frenchman's qualities first-hand. The Ballon d'Or winner and multiple Champions League champion now serves as a reference point for his current pupil. The Spaniard highlighted the Brazilian's movement inside and outside the box, his ability to drift to the left, his aerial game and his rare tactical intelligence.

The Basque coach stressed that Joao Pedro is still young and has room to grow, but that he already possesses absolutely outstanding qualities. Benzema, now 38 and without a club, left a legacy of 523 goals in 994 appearances across Lyon, Real Madrid, the French national team and Saudi clubs Al-Ittihad and Al-Hilal. Coming from Alonso, the comparison carries real weight.

Brazil snub turned into fuel for the campaign

Joao Pedro was a surprise omission from Brazil's squad for last summer's World Cup, a decision made by Carlo Ancelotti, the same coach who managed Alonso at Real Madrid. The forward has since returned to the national team setup for September's international friendlies against New Zealand and India.

When asked whether that omission had provided extra motivation for this season, Alonso offered a nuanced view. He said his player already had enough fire inside and that he did not need to bring it up. He acknowledged it was a painful moment but said it belongs in the past, with the focus now on what the striker is doing well and where he can improve.

He has been outstanding. Not just in football terms, but in his personality, his maturity and his desire. He has a very clear goal this season, which is to have a great campaign and score a lot of goals.

A blue project built around the number nine

Chelsea's commitment to Joao Pedro goes beyond the pitch. Handing him the number nine shirt and securing his future until 2034 is the message of a club that wants to build around its striker. His emergence, combined with Palmer's talent, gives Alonso a young, top-level attacking foundation to compete for trophies in England and Europe.

With the individual award already in his collection, the challenge now is to maintain the rhythm and turn the praise into silverware. If he keeps progressing, the label of a striker comparable to Haaland and a stylistic heir to Benzema will not sound exaggerated. For now, nobody at Stamford Bridge is taking it off his name.