Joao Felix wants to be like Ronaldo

Joao Felix wants to follow in Cristiano Ronaldo's footsteps by winning the Ballon d'Or.

The 19-year-old became Atletico Madrid's record signing after they paid €126million to sign him from Benfica earlier this month. Joao Felix made his name in the Primeira Liga and Europa League last term, then teamed up with Ronaldo as Portugal triumphed in the Nations League.

The attacker will be tasked with replacing Antoine Griezmann at Atletico, the France forward having finally completed a long-mooted switch to Barcelona. And Joao Felix is hoping to emulate Ronaldo, who collected four Champions League titles after joining Real Madrid from Manchester United in 2009 and has five Ballons d'Or to his name.

"Cristiano Ronaldo has won five Ballon d'Or trophies and this is the dream of every player," Joao Felix told ESPN. "Obviously, I would like to be like Cristiano."

 

July 31, 2019

Paulo Futre, Simao and Tiago are among the Portuguese players to have starred at Atletico. But Joao Felix said it was the club's record of developing strikers – including Radamel Falcao, Diego Forlan, Fernando Torres and Griezmann – that persuaded him to move to the Wanda Metropolitano.

"I saw the strikers that Atletico had and they were great players, great strikers," he said. "I want to be one more and this is why I choose to come here."