Flop at AC Milan, reborn at Al Nassr: Joao Felix is Portugal’s CR7. And he wants Barcelona
The rebirth at Al Nassr, the relationship with Cristiano Ronaldo and the aim of returning to play in Europe.
The rebirth of Joao Felix. He has not ruled out a return to Europe and describes Barcelona as his dream. For now, though, he is giving Al Nassr fans reason to dream: the Portuguese talent, the former AC Milan player, moved to Saudi Arabia to play with Cristiano Ronaldo after a disappointing spell with the Rossoneri. Right now, though, he is Portugal's CR7. The Saudi league has given him back continuity and confidence, but the 1999-born former Benfica, Atletico Madrid and Chelsea player does not see his time in European football as over at just 26: the aim is to wear the blaugrana shirt again, for whom he scored 7 goals in the 2023/2024 season.
The failure at AC Milan, the rebirth with Al Nassr
After moving to Riyadh from Chelsea for €50 million in the summer of 2025, following the failure of his six months in Serie A in the Rossoneri shirt, just 2 goals in 15 appearances under his compatriot Sergio Conceicao, he became the driving force, together with Ronaldo himself, behind Al Nassr's Saudi Pro League title win, with 20 goals including three hat-tricks and two braces in 33 league matches. He has started this year brilliantly too, just as he did last season: 4 league goals, 2 with the Portugal national team in two matches against Wales and Norway, both decisive in the Lusitanians' two victories.
Better than CR7
Now comes his statement of intent: he wants to play in Europe again, to get back into the Champions League, perhaps as early as next season, and to test himself against the best clubs in the world after growing up hugely, on and off the pitch, since the kid who stunned the world in 2019 with his move to Atlético Madrid, when they paid the €120 million release clause plus another €6 million in financial costs linked to the deal, the most expensive signing in Atlético Madrid's history and one of the most expensive signings in football history. The move made him the most expensive Portuguese footballer of all time, ahead of Cristiano Ronaldo.
The Barcelona dream
The chance to combine club and national team duties with Cristiano Ronaldo also proved crucial. Ronaldo is his idol and role model, and he wants to provide the assist for his 1,000th goal. Which club does he miss? Barcelona: "Just playing for them made me very happy. It was a childhood dream of mine, my father's and my brother's." And AC Milan? He found it hard to settle, partly because he was on loan and arrived in a complicated season for the Rossoneri.
