Saul Niguez, the former Atletico Madrid midfielder, has publicly criticized Joao Felix's work ethic, suggesting it hindered his success at top clubs. This critique comes as Felix embarks on a new chapter in his career, joining Al-Nassr in the Saudi Pro League after a somewhat underwhelming stint with Chelsea.
Felix, who made 87 appearances across two stints with Chelsea, failed to secure a consistent first-team position under Enzo Maresca, despite Chelsea making his move permanent in 2024. His contributions included seven goals and two assists in 22 appearances during the 2024-25 season.
Prior to his time in London, Felix had a loan spell with AC Milan in Serie A, where he struggled to find the net, scoring only twice in 15 appearances. Saul, now with Flamengo, played alongside Felix at Atletico Madrid for two seasons and witnessed his form begin to decline.
Felix's initial promise following his €127 million transfer from Benfica in 2019 never fully materialized in the Spanish capital. He started in only 73 of his 126 La Liga games for Atletico and Barcelona, where he spent the 2023-24 season on loan. Although he managed 32 league goals and 16 assists, Saul believes Felix could have achieved more with a stronger work ethic.
"Football is a team sport," Saul stated in an interview with COPE radio. "He has all the qualities to be an incredible player, but as good as you are, if you don’t work, it’s not enough. A lot of us tried to help Joao, but if you don’t want it..."
Al-Nassr's coach, Jorge Jesus, has also acknowledged Felix's current fitness levels are not optimal but remains optimistic that he can rediscover the form he displayed at Benfica. "Today we saw his first training match, he’s completely out of it," Jesus said. "He has to prepare better, especially because he hasn’t been training. It’s only his third training session with us. But I believe in his football, and I believe he will return to what he was at Benfica."
