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João Félix, Image Credit: Instagram
JOÃO FÉLIX IN AL NASSR
Joao Felix, 25 years, the versatile Portuguese forward, once highly regarded and highly rated after his breakout at Benfica, has endured a stormy and rough career marked by turbulent times at Atletico Madrid, unsuccessful loans to Chelsea and Barcelona, and a poor short stint at AC Milan, which was referred to as a huge disappointment.
Felix has shouldered the weight of massive expectations caused especially by his enormous club record 126 million euros transfer from Benfica to Atletico Madrid in 2019, ranking him among the most expensive forwards in soccer history.
Critics often tagged him inconsistent or a flop due to his inability to maintain consistency in adequate performance, and also his inability to settle and adapt into a suitable environment across elite European clubs, even in his prime. But signs are glaring that his €30 million (£26.2 million) transfer to Al Nassr in July 2025 on a two-year deal has birthed an amazing transformation by taking him off the European spotlight, allowing him to reset and reform in a less expectant ecosystem while also providing financial advantage for Al Nassr.
UNDER A FRESH MANAGEMENT
Under new Manager Jorge Jesus, alongside Sadio Mane and the mentorship + established chemistry with his Senior Countryman, Cristiano Ronaldo, Felix has rediscovered his form and flair, becoming the Saudi Pro League’s top scorer, scoring 14 goals with 2 Assists across all competitions for Al Nassr. His recent form has seen him score braces, hat-tricks and even header goals. This output is a far cry from his European journey, where he managed just 34 goals in 131 games across all the top clubs he joined.
Under Jorge Jesus, Felix now has the freedom to operate as a second striker or advanced playmaker, thereby enhancing his creativity and technicality, which was often denied him at rigid defensive and possession-centric systems of his previous European clubs. With the 2026 World Cup approaching, Felix’s career revival in Saudi Arabia is of great benefit to the Portuguese National Team. If he can sustain this impressive run of top form, mental confidence and goal clinicality, then he will be highly instrumental for Al Nassr’s SPL title ambition and AFC Champions League success, thereby redefining his legacy, proving doubters wrong and silencing the flop narrative.
