Portugal star ignores Cristiano Ronaldo, names Lionel Messi and Neymar in his ideal squad instead
Chelsea forward Joao Felix has left out Cristiano Ronaldo and named Lionel Messi in his favorite squad. The Portuguese star went on to pick Neymar and Bernardo Silva, too, before naming himself in the four-man side.
In a video, Felix was seen getting quizzed about a lot of exciting topics. He was asked to name his favorite squad, and the on-loan Chelsea star quickly named Messi, Neymar, Bernardo Silva, and himself in it.
Your favourite squad?
João Felix 🗣️: "Neymar, Messi, Bernardo Silva and me." 👏
https://t.co/yfxHgU3YBE
It was not the first time the Portuguese star has picked Lionel Messi over Cristiano Ronaldo. Earlier this year, Felix was asked to pick the best freekick taker between the two, and he selected the Argentine.
Best player to take a free kick?
🎙️Portuguese Joao Felix: "Messi" https://t.co/w8D77F5zZ5
However, that doesn't mean that Felix doesn't hold Ronaldo in high regards. He was caught surprised at Fernando Santos' decision to bench Ronaldo at the FIFA World Cup and told AS:
"We were surprised, because seeing Cristiano on the bench is not something you're used to. But it was the gaffer's decision: he's the one who calls the shots. Cristiano reacted really well, because we were all pulling in the same direction and creating positive vibes.
"His reaction was really good for the rest of us, because he looked to give the team confidence and make it clear that we were all in this together. It was really good for us and he just kept on being a real help in every way."
Portugal were knocked out by Morocco in the quarter-finals stage of the FIFA World Cup last year, which was eventually won by Argentina.
Can Joao Felix emulate Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi?
Joao Felix was highly rated during his time at Benfica and attracted interest from several clubs. Atletico Madrid eventually won the race, but things have not gone as planned for the Portuguese star.
Cristiano Ronaldo had a fierce rivalry with Lionel Messi in Spain, and he had backed Joao Felix to match them. He told El Mundo:
"Can he [Felix] repeat my successes in Spain? I believe that a lot because he is an excellent player with a lot of potential who can evolve. You can see the same with Bernardo [Silva] although he is already much more mature in this regard. It is difficult to make calculations in current football. You bet a lot on the potential and the football industry is different."
Felix has never teamed up with Lionel Messi but has played 25 times with Cristiano Ronaldo. The Chelsea loanee has assisted the AL Nassr star once, and it came in Portugal's 2-0 win over Sweden in the UEFA Nations League clash in 2020.