At just 19, the Cristiano Ronaldo comparisons already flow regularly for Atletico Madrid forward Joao Felix.
It’s easy to see why, especially considering the 85th-minute goal the Portuguese star logged as the La Liga club beat the MLS All-Stars 3-0 Wednesday night in the 2019 MLS All-Star Game presented by Target.
Felix collected the ball about 25 yards from goal, then unleashed a knuckling strike that left Real Salt Lake goalkeeper Nick Rimando with little chance. Looks a bit like one of Ronaldo’s classic goals, doesn’t it?
“I received the ball, I saw that I had an opportunity to shoot and I shoot,” Felix told the FS1 broadcast after the match. “With some luck, the ball was [a] goal.”
Lucky or not, Felix’s rise is seriously impressive, highlighted by this summer’s move from Benfica to Atleti for $140 million. It’s the third-highest transfer ever, trailing just Brazilian forward Neymar and French forward Kylian Mbappe.
Before Felix’s next chapter comes, he relished the chance to play in the All-Star Game. He subbed on in the 56th minute with his team leading 1-0, scored and then assisted on Diego Costa’s strike that made it 3-0 in the 93rd minute.
“It was great," Felix said of the night at Exploria Stadium in Orlando. "It was a great experience playing against these legends of football and I’m happy to be here. I hope next year’s [All-Star Game I] can come again."
