Former Atletico Madrid midfielder, Saul Niguez has reportedly attributed Joao Felix failure to lack of work ethics.
Felix, 25, sealed a permanent move to Saudi Pro League side, Al-Nassr from Chelsea on Tuesday, while Saul joined Flamengo in Brazil last week.
Prior to the Portugal international starting a run of disappointing stints at Chelsea, Barcelona, and AC Milan, the two players were together at Atletico Madrid when Félix joined in 2019 in a club record €127 million ($145 million) transfer.
“Football is a team sport,” Saúl told COPE radio as quoted by ESPN on Wednesday.
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“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.”
Félix didn’t make an impression at Atletico, so he went on loan to Chelsea and then Barça before settling down at Stamford Bridge permanently in 2024.
He signed a two-year contract with Al Nassr this week after joining Milan on loan six months later during the winter transfer window.
“I heard [former Rayo Vallecano coach] Paco Jemez say that talent without effort isn’t anything,” Saúl said. “A lot of us tried to help Joao, but if you don’t want it…”
Jorge Jesus, the coach of Al Nassr and a former coach of Felix’s boyhood team, Benfica, has acknowledged that the forward is still far from full fitness.
“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.”
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