Atletico Madrid’s record signing was offered plenty of guidance from one of the game’s greats ahead of the 2019-20 campaign
Atletico Madrid’s Joao Felix has revealed that fellow Portugal international Cristiano Ronaldo gave him ‘a lot’ of advice as the highly-rated 19-year-old prepares for his first season in La Liga.
Felix became the third most expensive footballer of all time after swapping Benfica for the Spanish capital, commanding a transfer fee of €126 million (£112m/$140m) – only Neymar and Kylian Mbappe sit ahead of the starlet.
The jump from Liga NOS to La Liga is one that is likely to require some adaptation from Felix, though 15 goals in 26 appearances in his first and only season playing first-team football suggests the future is bright for Atletico.
And, despite the teenager having already admitted that he knows how to manage pressure as it is part of his job, he revealed that former Real Madrid man Ronaldo had some sage advice for his compatriot ahead of the 2019-20 season.
“Yes, a lot,” Felix said in an AMA with Bleacher Report when asked if Ronaldo had offered any guidance. “In the first game that I played (a 3-1 Nations League win over Switzerland in which Ronaldo scored a hat-trick) he gave me a lot of advice.
“[He said] to be calm, to play my football.”
Felix named another former Real Madrid player, Kaka, as his childhood hero, but revealed that a man brought into the Santiago Bernabeu this summer is the player he is most looking forward to facing in the Spanish top flight.
“[Eden] Hazard,” he said, “because he’s one of… he’s an idol that I’ve watched before and I’d like to see him play.”
Atleti might count themselves lucky to have landed such a raw gem, with Manchester United and cross-town rivals City having been linked with an interest in the Viseu native.
But Felix has no doubts that playing under Diego Simeone at the Wanda Metropolitano is one of the best choices he could have made in terms of improving as a player.
“It’s great [to work with Simeone] – he’s one of the best coaches in the world. I will learn a lot with him and that’s what I want.”
Click Here: South Africa Rugby Shop