João Pedro: Chelsea’s Cole Palmer Is Capable of Starting for Brazil

João Pedro describes Cole Palmer as “magic” and believes he possesses the talent to be a starter for Brazil’s national team.

Chelsea forward João Pedro has commended teammate Cole Palmer, asserting that the England international possesses the talent to start for Brazil.

During an appearance on the Rio Ferdinand Presents podcast, the 24-year-old striker expressed his initial surprise at Palmer’s talent upon joining Chelsea but noted that his perspective shifted rapidly after training with him.

He possesses a high level of intelligence. “He’s magic,” João Pedro remarked. “I told him earlier, ‘I didn’t believe you were that skilled.’ And he regarded me with a puzzled look. “However, now that I play with him, he’s changed.”

He mentioned that he even made a joke about Palmer fitting into Brazil’s national team setup.

“I said to him, ‘Why don’t you come to Brazil?” Take the number 10 over there, my friend. No problem.

“In Brazil, we do not have a player who fills this role.” If you observe us, we employ a 4-2-4 formation. “We don’t have a number 10,” he clarified.

João Pedro elaborated on Palmer, highlighting him as a transformative player who can determine the outcome of matches in critical moments.

Cole is an unusual individual. At times, he remains silent, but then [snaps fingers]. In an instant, he has transformed the landscape. He is quite skilled.

Both Palmer and João Pedro were unexpected exclusions from their respective World Cup squads, as Carlo Ancelotti chose to include Neymar, while players like Morgan Rogers and Noni Madueke secured spots in Thomas Tuchel’s lineup.

Neymar, who has been sidelined for Santos’ last three matches and Brazil’s initial training camp due to a bruised right calf, has stated that he does not anticipate the injury impacting his participation in the World Cup.

In discussing the approach of the Brazil manager, João Pedro commended Ancelotti’s focus on collective strength rather than individual brilliance.

“[Ancelotti] states that he prefers not to rely on a single individual.” He desires the group. He believes that the group holds more power than an individual.

“I believe that when he is present, his words command attention and people truly listen.” He triumphs in every endeavor. He endeavors to establish connections with all the players.

“He communicates his intentions clearly while also allowing you the freedom to express yourself on the field and enjoy the game.” In my opinion, he is quite beneficial for the team.