Go back 12 months and João Felix was the kind of player people talked about in past tense. The former Benfica kid, the one who cost Atlético Madrid $140 million, had bounced around Chelsea, Barcelona and AC Milan without ever looking like the guy everyone thought he’d become. He was 25. He’d played for four clubs in three seasons. And none of them wanted to keep him.
Now? He’s in Toronto preparing to start for Portugal in the World Cup round of 32 against Croatia. He’s got a spring in his step again. And the reason is a move almost nobody saw as a career revival: Al Nassr.
The Saudi Gamble That Actually Paid Off
Felix joined Cristiano Ronaldo in Riyadh last summer. On paper it looked like another star taking the money and fading into irrelevance. But something clicked. Under Portuguese manager Jorge Jesus — a legend at Benfica who’d never coached Felix but knew exactly what he needed — the forward got put back where he belongs.
“It’s been a long time since a manager played me in my proper position,” Felix said earlier this year. “He put me back where I started and where I feel most comfortable.”
Jesus re-centered him. Let him drift. Didn’t try to turn him into a defensive worker the way Diego Simeone did. And the numbers came roaring back: 20 goals, 13 assists, a Saudi Pro League title — Al Nassr’s first in seven years — and a Player of the Season award to go with it.
Ronaldo’s Shadow, Portugal’s Gain
Ronaldo saw this coming. He’d watched Felix up close for Portugal for years and pushed for Al Nassr to sign him. Jesus, too, knew what pairing them could mean — not just for the club, but for the national team.
“Although they already know each other, more and more they’re playing as a combination,” Jesus said last August. “Could it benefit Portugal? I have no doubt.”
Twelve months later, Portugal is seeing the payoff. Felix sat out the World Cup opener against DR Congo but started the next two group games. Against Uzbekistan he was sharp in a 5-0 win where Ronaldo scored twice. Portugal coach Roberto Martinez noticed.
“João had a very good training period, and today it was a pleasure to see him enjoy football,” Martinez said. “Because his quality is enormous.”
The Chemistry Factor
Here’s the thing about Ronaldo and Felix playing together for a year: they just know each other now. It’s not theoretical. Felix explained it simply this week.
“A year of playing together is a long time. You get to know your teammate well. You come to understand what he needs and what he likes. I think we make a good duo — he knows where I like to receive the ball, and vice versa.”
Ronaldo has that one gap in his resume. The World Cup. And Felix, who looked like he’d never be relevant in a tournament like this again, might be the guy who helps fill it.
“This has been a very important year in my career,” Felix said. “I feel confident and ready to help the team. Without a doubt I feel more mature. I’m coming in more confident than ever.”
One year ago that sentence would have sounded ridiculous. Now it’s the most believable thing about this Portugal team.
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