Joao Felix's fateful summer

Felix's career went into free fall.

Joao Felix was once a gem of Portuguese football. In 2019, all of Europe was on edge over the 19-year-old from Benfica - who had the technique of a classic No. 10, the speed of a winger and the composure in front of goal of a true striker.

But six years later, the name Felix has become a symbol of misdirection - a talent that never quite lived up to expectations. Now, when the transfer market opens, Felix is no longer the name that big clubs fight over, but the person holding the phone to scroll through "football Tinder", hoping to find a team willing to lend a helping hand.

Gone are the days when Real Madrid had to convince him with a sports project, now even Chelsea - a team in crisis of playing style and lacking in frontline personnel - did not bother to include him in the list for the Club World Cup. Coach Enzo Maresca brought 28 players, when he was allowed to register up to 35, and Felix had no place.

It's worth mentioning that Felix wants to return to where he started - Benfica. In an emotional moment at Diogo Jota's funeral, Felix confided: "I need to go home, and Benfica is the target. If I could go back now, I would be very happy."

Those words may have been an outburst, but they also showed a tacit admission. Felix was desperate and in need of salvation, both physically and mentally.

In theory, Benfica could be the place to help Felix start over. The current manager is Bruno Lage - the coach who helped him shine with 17 goals and 10 assists in the 2018/19 season. That was the last time Felix really played the top football that people once dreamed of him. But is a beautiful past enough to save a shaky present?

Since 2019, Felix has not scored more than 10 goals in any season. That number is truly terrifying when compared to the total transfer fee of nearly 195 million euros that clubs have spent to own him in the past six years. He went to Atletico Madrid, Chelsea, then Milan - and everywhere he went, he only left people shaking their heads in regret. A technical, creative player, but lacking motivation, lacking the ability to integrate, and especially - lacking the fighting spirit when not having the ball.

Felix is a classic victim of the "highlight" era. A few good goals, a few improvised moves, combined with media hype, are enough to turn a potential player into a "false superstar". But top-level football is not about trivelas or rabonas, but about consistency, dedication, and sometimes sacrifice for the team - something Felix has never really demonstrated.

And now, he is faced with a choice that could shape the rest of his career. Continue dreaming at big clubs, accept sitting on the bench, or return to where he started, lower his ego, accept a pay cut and start from zero?

If Benfica are willing, if Bruno Lage still believes, then this is Felix's last chance to become a real footballer again - instead of remaining a promise that will never come true.

Because if he continues to lose his way, the summer of 2025 will not only be a turning point in Felix's career. It will be the end of the golden dream that was once the most brilliant of Portuguese football in the post-Ronaldo generation.

Source: https://znews.vn/mua-he-dinh-menh-cua-joao-felix-post1567234.html