Joao Felix joined 'much stronger' league by joining Al-Nassr instead of Benfica as coach Jorge Jesus says Cristiano Ronaldo partnership will boost Portugal's World Cup hopes

The Portuguese international Felix’s decision to join Al-Nassr at the age of 25 has reignited football’s fascination with his unpredictable career arc. Once seen as a generational talent when Benfica was eyeing the starlet, his move to Saudi Arabia this summer marked another surprising twist after years of fluctuation between brilliance and frustration in Europe. The Portuguese forward signed a two-year deal with Al-Nassr, with reports suggesting an initial fee in the region of £26 million ($35m) plus add-ons.

The transfer sent shockwaves through both European and Middle Eastern football, as young Felix traded the Premier League and La Liga spotlight for a new challenge under coach Jorge Jesus. It was less about the fee and more about symbolism, a player still in his prime choosing to exit Europe for one of football’s richest projects. For some, it was a career reset; for others, a step away from the elite.

Al-Nassr coach Jesus has not just defended Felix’s move, but also insisted that the Saudi Pro League has grown into a competition with global reach, and the starlet didn't make a mistake. 

“Joao Felix is a great player,” Jesus said at Portugal Football Globes 2025 ceremony. “During this interregnum in his career, Bruno Lage and I were the ones who believed in him and really wanted him. He’s a talented player who chose the best league. It was in Portugal that I became known to world football, but the Saudi Arabian is good for 50 countries. He chose a league much stronger and more competitive than the Portuguese league.”

Jesus also praised Portugal boss Roberto Martinez for pairing Felix with superstar Cristiano Ronaldo at international level. 

“Martinez is being smart. In the very first game, he put Felix and Cristiano together, as he does with other players from other clubs. National teams depend heavily on the clubs where the players are, and the coaches don’t have much time to work with these players,” he added. "Cristiano is a player in every way, both athletically and as a person. He has an intelligence beyond football."

Under Jesus, Al-Nassr have been the standout team in Saudi Arabia’s opening stretch. Five wins from five matches have made them early league leaders, combining fluid attacking football with defensive discipline. The 5-1 victory against Al-Riyadh and a 2-0 triumph Al-Ittihad showcased their ruthlessness.

Felix and Ronaldo have led the scoring charts, with Edouard Mendy (Al-Ahli) and rising star Abbas Al Hassan (Neom) also emerging among the early-season standouts. For Jesus, it’s been a dream start, capped by his Manager of the Month award, while Felix has already picked up the spotlight as the league’s most exciting new arrival.

Felix's link-up play with Ronaldo has been one of the early success stories of Jorge Jesus’s Al-Nassr side. The duo’s chemistry, both on and off the ball, has given the team a new attacking dimension. Jesus’s system, which grants Felix freedom to roam behind the striker, has brought out his technical flair, the quick turns, delicate touches and instinctive passes that once earned him the Golden Boy award.

With Felix thriving in Saudi Arabia and Jesus publicly backing his trajectory, the next test lies on the international stage. Martinez’s Portugal side have crucial World Cup qualifiers approaching, and the manager appears eager to maximise the Ronaldo-Felix pairing, as they are set to face Ireland and Hungary next. The chemistry built at Al-Nassr could prove decisive for the national team’s attacking structure ahead of 2026.