Portuguese promise: How Joao Felix can cook with Ronaldo and Jesus | OneFootball

Like most of his era growing up in Portugal, Joao Felix idolised Cristiano Ronaldo.

As the Viseu-born Felix entered his teenage years, and playing professionally became a more attainable target, Ronaldo was in his prime at Real Madrid, scoring goals for fun and breaking record after record.

Now, having signed last week for Al Nassr, Felix gets to play regularly alongside the five-time Ballon d’Or winner.

Not that that is entirely unique for the prodigiously talented 25-year-old since he has shared a Portugal locker room with Ronaldo for the past six years.

However, it’s one thing to do so every few months with the national team; another entirely to do it every day.

“He is an example for everyone in Portugal, in football and in life,” Felix said in an interview in his homeland when at Barcelona last year. “We are all very lucky to have met him and to have seen him play.”

Now fortune has brough them together in the club game. For the upcoming 2025-26 season, Felix and Ronaldo are set to form a partnership that threatens to be one of the Roshn Saudi League’s most dangerous.

Some time ago, Felix burst onto the scene with Benfica near the end of the 2010s, finishing his breakout 2018-19 campaign with 15 goals and seven assists.

Understandably, he quickly became one of the hottest and most sought-after commodities in the game, with both Manchester City and Manchester United reportedly keen on luring the titanic teenager to the UK.

In July 2019, however, Felix signed a monster seven-year deal with Atletico Madrid, for an estimated transfer fee of €126 million. It marked the fourth most expensive deal in history, and the second highest for a teenager after Kylian Mbappe’s move from AS Monaco to Paris Saint-Germain.

Transfer agreed, Felix was tipped to be Portugal’s next big superstar after Ronaldo. He would soon become teammate to his illustrious predecessor, debuting for the national ream in the semi-final of the 2019 UEFA Nations League - a tournament his side, with Ronaldo as captain, would go on to win.

Yet, while most of the past few seasons have been spent on various loans - at Barcelona, Chelsea and AC Milan - the headline-garnering switch to Riyadh offers a fresh start for Felix.

Now 25, he will not only have Ronaldo as a club colleague but, just as importantly, Jorge Jesus in the dugout supporting him, too.

Jesus, a legend at Benfica having guided the club to three Primeira Liga titles, is an unavowed fan of Felix and his - admittedly, thus far - untapped potential.

While conceding he still had work to do after his first runout for Al Nassr in last week’s pre-season friendly against Toulouse, the new Al Nassr manager was adamant his celebrated compatriot would return to his best.

"He's completely [not at full fitness]; he needs to prepare better and train," the record-setting former Al Hilal coach said. "He's had only three training sessions with us, but I believe in his football. And I believe he'll return to his Benfica form."

If Felix does just that, then it presents a scary proposition for the other 17 teams in the RSL.

At Al Hilal, Jesus stuck true to his preferred 4-2-3-1 formation, and should he do so again with Al Nassr, then expect Felix to slot nicely into his principal attacking-midfield role in behind the ageless Ronaldo, last season’s golden boot winner, who will occupy the point of the attack.

It’s that collaboration that should have Al Nassr fans salivating. Granted, Felix’s most recent seasons have failed to reach the level expected, but make no mistake: inside remains a prodigious talent capable of the very best in football.

Jesus is known as a hard taskmaster - as evidenced by his comments that Felix needs to “prepare better” - but also one that gets the most out of his players. Just check Al Hilal’s historic 2023-24 RSL title triumph.

Having first tried to lure Felix to Riyadh when he was on the other side of the capital with Al Hilal, Jesus is a long-time admirer of his fellow Benfica alumni. For sure, he is thrilled by the opportunity to work with him.

Promisingly, that sentiment is reciprocated.

“I spoke with Jesus a few times; I know that he likes me a lot," Felix told Al Nassr's official media channel last week. "He always says that to me and to other players that I share a dressing team in the national team.

"So, finally, I’m going to work with him. I’m excited to learn with him and I’m going to help him with whatever I can.”

As will Ronaldo, who has seen with Portugal how to get the best out of his younger countryman. In turn, Felix arrives in Riyadh already familiar with how to play with Ronaldo having created a special bond with his idol from their time together in the national team.

The two shared some beautiful moments on the pitch after Portugal won the UEFA Nations League in June while, in their first days together at Al Nassr, they have appeared inseparable.

So, if that brotherhood flows through onto the pitch, and with Jesus also now at the helm, then Al Nassr could be in for one special season indeed.