Soccer star Joao Felix is currently on the cover of many magazines. The Real Madrid midfielder has been attracting attention for his performances in recent weeks, helping his team to a 5-2 win against Granada and then a 4-1 victory over Deportivo La Coruna. Felix recently signed a new contract with Real Madrid, committing to the Spanish club until 2023.
With this contract, the Brazilian ace becomes the second-youngest player to commit to a Spanish team after Barcelona’s Paulinho. The 24-year-old midfielder joined Madrid from Benfica in 2018 for a fee in the region of 80 million euros ($88.8 million).
How Is Felix Doing It?
The former Fluminense superstar has a unique skill set, combining strength with quick feet and excellent dribbling ability. In one of his recent interviews, Real Madrid coach Santiago Solari said of Felix: “In addition to being a great passer, he also has a lot of strength and is a complete athlete. He has excellent balance and is a complete finisher inside the area.”
According to Spanish newspaper La Vanguardia, Solari also added that Felix was the best midfielder he had ever worked with. The coach went on to say that the Brazilian was “a joy to lead and he has made my job much easier.”
While at Fluminense, Felix won a national title, the Campeonato Brasileiro Série A, and was a regular fixture in the Brazilian national team. The 24-year-old has played a key role in helping the Elephants make a name for themselves in international football. Despite not having a standout performance early in the 2018 World Cup in Russia, Felix ended up appearing in all of Brazil’s matches and scored a vital opening goal in the 1-1 draw with Uruguay.
If you’re looking for a young player who can play a crucial role for your team, then Joao Felix ticks several boxes. Not only is he an exceptional athlete, but he also has a proven track record at a high level. As well as Real Madrid, Barcelona and Benfica were reportedly all interested in signing him a few years ago.
Why Is He Popular?
Since making the move to the Spanish capital, Felix has been scoring regularly and helping his team to impressively good results. In an interview with Spanish outlet Gol TV, the midfielder spoke about his reasons for moving to Madrid: “Madrid is a wonderful city, they have a lot of culture and history there. The people are nice and the food is delicious. When I arrived at the airport, I couldn’t stop thinking about the pizza that I was going to eat when I got home. Everything was on my mind, I was extremely happy to be in Madrid.”
Felix signed a four-year contract with Madrid, ensuring he’ll remain at the club until at least the end of next season. The Brazilian ace has been nothing short of brilliant since arriving in Madrid, and his efforts have not gone unnoticed. In October 2019, Madrid were rewarded for their faith in signing the midfielder by being declared the best club in Europe for youth players. Felix was also nominated for the UEFA Champions League Rising Star award, with Paris Saint-Germain’s Marquinhos being chosen as the rival.
While in Madrid, Felix has become an indispensable figure for Real Madrid, playing an important part in helping his team to a first-place finish in the Liga table and a spot in the Champions League group stage.
Madrid’s recent rise as a top outfit in European football has been helped by the brilliance of their young Brazilian playmaker. With his team now facing Barcelona in the Champions League, Gol TV’s Guillem Balague spoke about what is at stake this week.
“It’s a crucial week for Madrid. Not just this season but in the context of the rivalry with Barcelona. This week, Madrid are in the middle of a semi-final of the Champions League and the Camp Nou hosts the second leg on Wednesday. This is a huge game for both clubs. Not just because it’s a derby but because Madrid need to go all the way to prove they’re the best team in Europe. Barça will be looking to stop Madrid’s ascent to the top.”
With this in mind, Barcelona and Madrid fans can expect a thrilling contest on Wednesday night. Not only is it a big game for the two clubs but it could go a long way to deciding who reigns supreme in Europe. In the 2018–19 season, Madrid have already laid claim to being the best club in Europe by being the top-scoring team in the competition with 175 goals.
Barcelona’s last match before the break was an entertaining affair, as they came back from three goals down to draw 3-3 with Paris Saint-Germain at the Camp Nou. While the Spanish side are undoubtedly the best in the world, they are no stranger to coming from behind in a match, especially in European competition.
However, they will face an exceptionally determined Madrid side on Wednesday, who have a scoring advantage in the league.
What Is Next For Felix?
After such an enthralling first season in Madrid, Felix could hardly contain his excitement at being offered a contract extension. The Brazilian ace, who has been compared to Barcelona’s Paulinho due to his likeness in appearance, was quick to agree to the extension, committing his future to the white and black outfit until 2023. By the way, if you are betting on sports and want to get a bonus code, go to melbet promo code in Nepal and collect your bonuses.
According to Spanish newspaper El Periodico, Madrid sporting director José Ángel Sánchez was instrumental in convincing the 24-year-old midfielder to sign the contract, with the Argentine suggesting it was a great opportunity for him to further his career in Europe. The extension will see Felix’s salary more than double, up to 300,000 euros a week ($348,500).
With Madrid now the best team in Europe, winning the UEFA Champions League next season is a real possibility, as well as a rematch with Barcelona in the final. It is a phenomenal achievement for an initial season in white and black to see Madrid put forward a team as good as they were this year. There is a lot more to come from the Spanish club in the next few years, with their youth academy producing promising young players every year.
On the subject of youth players, head of Benfica’s sports division, Luís Filipe Vieira, had this to say about the future of football in Portugal.
“We’re starting to see Portuguese players achieve internationally. That’s a big credit to the coaches working with the national team and it shows just how much potential we have.”
Just when you thought the 2019-20 season couldn’t get any more exciting…
The year is almost over, which means it’s time to look back at the events that made this season so memorable. There were so many amazing stories, matches and tournaments this year that helped make the season memorable. Here are just a few of them. In the coming months, we’ll tell you more about the other stories that made this season so special.
El Clásico Comes To São Paulo
One of the most thrilling events of the year was undoubtedly El Clásico. The match between Barcelona and Real Madrid is a fixture in the sporting world, with the two clubs regularly clashing in the Spanish and the European football championships. This derby is revered around the world for its extraordinary intensity – so much so that it’s even had a makeover for the cinema. The Camp Nou and the Santiago Bernabéu are buildings inhabited by football gods, and a game between the two is considered a pilgrimage for aspiring players. Naturally, fans from both clubs are desperate to get their hands on a piece of historic silverware each season. By the way, if you are betting on sports and want to get a bonus code, go to https://odds2win.bet/bonuses/nepal/22bet and collect your bonuses.
But this year was special, with the two clubs meeting in the final to decide who would represent Europe in the 2023 UEFA Champions League. Barça had already defeated Madrid in the Spanish Super Cup earlier in the campaign, before returning to the Bernabéu with a mission to finish the job. It was fitting that this season’s edition of El Clásico should be special, given that it was the last ever meeting between the two clubs before the break due to the outbreak of the pandemic. La Liga had to be suspended for several months, with the season resuming in June and the two sides meeting again in the second half of the campaign. Naturally, the atmosphere inside the arena was different this year.
