In a video chat with Atletico Madrid star Joao Felix, former Ballon d’Or winner Ricardo Kaka said that the Portuguese prodigy is technically superior to him.Football News | Written BySreehari Menon.
When Antoine Griezmann sealed a controversial transfer to rivals Barcelona, Atletico Madrid turned their attention to a 19-year prodigy from Benfica. Diego Simeone’s side broke their transfer record to sign the Portuguese sensation, paying a reported fee of €126 million (£113 million) to sign the youngster last summer. Joao Felix is known to idolise former Real Madrid star Ricardo Kaka and recently spoke to the former Ballon D’Or winner on a video call.
Powered ByJoao Felix Atletico Madrid: Ricardo Kaka believes Portuguese star is more skilful than him
Amidst the coronavirus pandemic that has resulted in the temporary suspension of the LaLiga season, Atletico Madrid star Joao Felix got in touch with his idol and AC Milan legend Ricardo Kaka. On the video call, the 20-year-old revealed that he started following the former Real Madrid man due them sharing a similar hairstyle. Joao Felix added that he believed that his style of play was similar to that of Ricardo Kaka and watched all his games on YouTube.
He further claimed that he also has a poster of Kaka in his room. Kaka in reply said that even though he doesn’t like comparisons, he agrees that there’s a similarity on both their styles. The former Galactico added that he shares a physical similarity with Joao Felix, and in terms of style he believes that the Atletico Madrid prodigy is far more direct than he ever was and possesses greater technical ability.
João Félix: “I always used to watch you play because I thought our hairstyle looked alike, as well as our way of playing. I used to watch all your games on YouTube.”Kaká: “I think there’s this physical similarity…but I think you have even more technical ability than I had.”
Joao Felix joined the Benfica academy at the age of 15 after being released by Porto. The youngster made his debut for Benfica B at the age of 16, and played a massive role in Benfica’s run to the final of the 2016–17 UEFA Youth League, scoring six goals.
Joao Felix was promoted to the first team the following season and became the youngest player to score a hat-trick in the Europa League, when he hit three past Eintracht Frankfurt in April 2019. The prodigy was then snapped by Atletico Madrid last summer, for a mammoth £113 million, making it the second-highest fee ever paid for a teenager after Kylian Mbappe. Joao Felix’s start to life in Spain has been difficult though, having made a total of 28 appearances across all competitions, scoring a mere six goals.