As Brighton & Hove Albion striker João Pedro could be making his international debut for Brazil in the coming days, he’s part of a big story from Globo Esporte.
The outlet managed to have a long interview with him, with the 22-year-old talking about his path to the national team.
João Pedro obviously talked a lot about Brighton, and claimed that Seagulls’ boss Roberto De Zerbi is similar to Brazil coach Fernando Diniz.
He was then asked to talk a little more about that.
“They’re very similar in terms of how the team plays. Fluminense play differently, but they’re very similar when it comes to wanting the ball. And the way De Zerbi relates to the players, kind of… not aggressive, but demanding a lot, being tough when it comes to demanding, but being the big daddy off the pitch, coming in and chatting, asking if everything is ok. He always tries to help the player,” João Pedro told Globo Esporte.
“In training it’s harder than in the game, regardless of who the opponent is, in training it’s harder. It’s like theatre, we do it beforehand, we get to the pitch and everything happens. He’s obsessed, 24 hours a day with football. He’s impressive, he breathes football.
“He always asks a lot about the details and I’ve been trying to improve more and more. There was a move against Newcastle that, if I got it right, I would have been able to finish. I thought about that little detail. It’s something I’ve always tried to get right, the detail, body positioning, these things, he doesn’t fight with me, but he always pulls out these little details that change things. Doing the movement at the right time, these things.”
During the interview, João Pedro how he’s happy to be at Brighton. Still, when asked about his dreams, he did mention a move to a club where he can fight for big titles.
“I have a dream of winning a World Cup, winning titles for the national team, going to a big club to play in the Champions League, that dream that every boy has of reaching the top.”
Brighton spent €34.2m to sign João Pedro from Watford last summer. Since his arrival, he had six goals and one assist in 17 appearances for the Seagulls, although he’s now going through a small drought, not scoring since September.
