A player born in Viseu (Portugal) made his professional debut for SL Benfica B. Recently, at the start of the 2018/19 season, he made his debut for the first team, where he was gradually establishing himself and earning his place through his good performances. What happened next is no longer a secret to anyone.
Joao Felix – Atlético's most expensive signing
The excitement and devotion shown by Atlético de Madrid fans for their new signing are undeniable. On 3 July, João Félix became the most expensive signing in the club’s history, after Atlético paid Benfica 127.2 million euros. But this merely confirms that the new number 7 we’ll see on an Atlético kit has erased the memory of Antoine Griezmann, as Atlético Madrid sold 7,000 Joao Félix jerseys in just two days.
Joao Félix football boots
There is very little information and few photos of João Félix as a footballer during his first spell at Benfica B, as he did not feature much whilst wearing the Portuguese national team’s colours at youth level, with the sole exception of the Under-19s. There are plenty of photos of the young player from his early days in youth football. However, as a football fan in general, I’ve been familiar with João and his talent for a very long time, so I can share some of the pictures of João – and his boots, of course.
adidas ACE 17 / Joao Félix
One of the earliest images of João Félix, during his formative years as a player at SL Benfica and with adidas ACE. The German brand’s control and precision boot, which served as the brand’s ambassador for almost three years. Amidst the new generations and the changes that have always characterised this range, the essence has always remained the same: a football boot with a sock-like fit and a high-profile appearance that suits the playing style of a player who prioritises control, reception and passing. Perhaps the choice fell on this boot because João Félix was playing in a style that was slightly different from what we are used to seeing, which is why he preferred a different type of boot.
Nike Mercurial Superfly IV / Joao Félix
When João Félix started out in Benfica’s B team, where he made his debut at the age of 16, the standard and intensity were already completely different from what he was used to. Whilst the player also earned his place in the team by coming on as a substitute – and did so quickly – his most common position was as a forward or winger. As he sought to improve this aspect of his game, he looked to choose a boot that focused more on these characteristics: lightweight, a perfect fit, low-profile and with a sole offering immense grip. And the obvious choice was the Nike Mercurial Superfly – the boot that any fast player wants to wear, whether a defender, midfielder or forward.
adidas X / Joao Félix
During his final days with SL Benfica B and his first few with the first team, João Félix could be seen playing in the adidas X 18, a speed boot that suits the style of this swift and daring player. João was seen gradually capitalising on the poor form of players such as Castillo and Ferreyra, and, coupled with Jonas’s unfortunate injury, he took his place as the second striker – scoring goals, showing determination and giving his all. At that time, due to the progress of the squad, the Portuguese player, despite wearing adidas, did not yet have a contract with the German brand. We are talking about a player who, until six months ago, nobody had heard of.
Joao Félix's current football boots / adidas Copa 19+
It was December 2018 and adidas launched its new COPA 19 boot. By this point, Joao could already be seen wearing these new boots, and it was from that moment onwards that he began to be sponsored by the German brand. But why the Copa when adidas still had the X in its collection and also knew that a new generation of the X was about to arrive? I think it was simply because it was the boot the German brand needed to give its presence in Portugal a bit of a boost. Globally, the face of the adidas Copa 19+ campaign was Dybala. As a skilful and quick player, why keep playing in the Copa? Speaking personally, I see the Copa as a boot suited to the quick player, the finisher, but also to the more skilful, touch-oriented player. A well-rounded boot.
These are the football boots João Félix has worn so far. Do you think João will change his boots whilst at Atlético Madrid? If so, have your say in our comments section.
