The Chronology of the Fall of Joao Felix, the Former "Wonder Boy"

It has been six years since Joao Felix broke the record as the most expensive teenage footballer in the world. The forward has moved between four clubs in three of the top leagues in Europe since then. Instead of becoming the big star that many anticipated, his brilliance has dimmed with each passing year.

At the age of 25, Felix has ultimately given up on the glittering career in Europe. He will be transferring from Chelsea to the Saudi Arabian club Al-Nassr for an initial transfer fee of 30 million euros (568.8 billion), which could increase to a total of around 50 million euros.

Felix will soon join his teammate in the Portugal national team, Cristiano Ronaldo, who is nearing retirement. The meeting in Saudi Arabia feels strange. Because, if we refer back to projections from 2019, Felix should be dominating Europe, rather than being pushed to the Middle East.

Portuguese journalist Marcus Alves, a BBC Sport contributor, witnessed the teenager's greatness at the time. "Watching him was like watching pure art. He was destined to be the best. People thought so highly of him that when Ronaldo arrived at the national team camp, the television news headlined 'Ronaldo joins Felix.' Felix, not the national team," he said.

Felix, a Benfica academy graduate, has captured the spotlight since his professional debut in the 2018-19 season. He was hailed after scoring for Benfica in the derby against Sporting. A week earlier, he had become the youngest player to score a hat trick in the Europa League (at 19 years and 152 days).

Felix concluded the first season with 20 goals from 43 matches across all competitions. He led Benfica to victory in the Portuguese League and was selected as the best young player. Shortly thereafter, Felix received the Golden Boy award, recognizing him as the best player in Europe under the age of 21.

Atletico Madrid is enticed by that enormous potential. They were willing to break the club's transfer record to bring in Felix for a fee of 127.2 million euros in the summer of 2019. This amount still stands as the fifth most expensive transfer in the history of football to date.

Felix played for Atletico for three and a half seasons. The versatile striker's contribution wasn't bad, though. He contributed a total of 35 goals and 16 assists in 131 appearances. However, his contribution wasn't commensurate with the price paid by Atletico.

Everyone knows Joao is incredibly talented. But sometimes, talent isn't the most important thing.

Felix's best performance at Atletico was achieved in the 2020-21 season. He scored 10 goals and provided 6 assists across all competitions, also helping Atletico emerge as champions of La Liga. Unfortunately, Felix was mostly a substitute throughout the season.

The main factor behind the player's failure at Atletico is the difference in characteristics. Coach Diego Simeone wants all players to be involved in defense, including the forwards. However, Felix, who is a flamboyant type of player, often disregards these instructions.

Atletico also surrendered in January 2023. "He was the biggest gamble in the club's history. He is a great talent, a world-class player. However, issues related to his relationship with the coach, playing time, and motivation made it better for him to leave," said Atletico's CEO Gil Marin in December 2022.

In the midst of an identity crisis, Felix needs stability. However, he instead joined Chelsea on loan, which is also not in a good situation. He was brought in by Manager Graham Potter. Just three months later, the coach was dismissed. Frank Lampard took over in April 2023.

Felix, who received a red card in his debut and was sanctioned for three matches, only started 14 times with "The Blues." Chelsea's next manager, Mauricio Pochettino, refused to make his transfer permanent. Felix ultimately returned to Atletico in the summer of 2023.

The relationship between the executives, coaches, and supporters of Atletico with Felix has apparently deteriorated. Moreover, after his return, the slender player expressed a desire to move to a rival team, namely Barcelona. This desire was realized by Atletico with a loan status.

At Barcelona, Felix was quite helpful even though he did not become the main star. He contributed 10 goals and 6 assists in 45 appearances across all competitions. Unexpectedly, this performance attracted Chelsea's interest once again. Chelsea signed him for 50 million euros, a year after letting him go.

Chelsea, under the leadership of new manager Enzo Maresca, has boldly offered a long-term contract lasting seven years. Unfortunately, Felix has been loaned to AC Milan during the winter transfer window of 2025. Maresca is less than satisfied with his performance in both matches and training.

Felix was once again confronted by reality in Milan. This time it came from the words of veteran defender Kyle Walker. Frustrated by the selfish performance of his teammate, Walker criticized Felix as they walked to the dressing room. "Pass the ball. There is no (Lionel) Messi here," he said during the halftime of the match against Napoli last April.

Felix's Problem

After his first season with Atletico, Felix has not been trusted to be a starting player for at least 20 times in each season. He has changed clubs three times in three different leagues, but the results remain the same. Felix is nothing more than a complement to the team, only needed in certain situations.

Former Atletico player Yannick Carrasco once explained the reason for Felix's failure. "Everyone knows Joao is very talented. But sometimes, talent isn't the most important thing. Football is also about discipline, concentration, and hard work," he told Mundo Deportivo in September 2024.

"His attitude is good, but he sometimes does not execute what the coach asks. When you are young, all forwards certainly just want to attack and are reluctant to defend. He sometimes does not defend well enough, as requested by the coach," he said subsequently.

Felix is like a child who wants to have fun at the playground and does not want to get dirty. If he had played in the 1990s or early 2000s, he might have become a big star. However, it is impossible to be a forward with minimal defensive contributions in the modern era today.

Modern teams attack and defend with all players on the field. Goalkeepers often get involved in the play as well. Felix's reluctance to change, trapped in star status since his teenage years, has prevented him from reaching his maximum potential.

Six years after becoming one of the most expensive players, Felix's market value has dropped to 25 million euros. His value has continued to decline year after year. The move to Saudi Arabia will mark a low point in his career. It is very difficult for the former "wonder kid" to recover from that point. (AP/AFP)