In Riyadh, João Félix has spoken openly about a future return to European football, while looking back warmly on the single season that took him to Barcelona. The 26-year-old Al-Nassr midfielder said wearing the Barça shirt fulfilled a childhood ambition shared by his family, despite the club ending that campaign without silverware.
Barcelona remains a proud chapter
Félix, who has previously represented Atlético Madrid and Barcelona, recalled his loan spell in Catalonia as a deeply significant experience. He acknowledged that arriving temporarily is different from joining a club permanently, with the feeling around a player changing when he belongs to the side outright.
“I have very good memories,” he said. “We did not win anything in the end, but playing for Barcelona alone made me very happy.”
He described the move as the realisation of a long-held dream for himself, his father and his brother. Although a year in football can bring dramatic shifts in form and circumstance, Félix said he remains proud to have worn Barcelona colours.
European return on his mind
Now with Al-Nassr, Félix has made clear that he would like to play in Europe again. His remarks point back toward the continent after his time in Saudi Arabia, though no destination or timetable was specified.
Asked whether he could ever have joined Real Madrid, the Portuguese international rejected the idea emphatically. He said such a move would have made him “football’s biggest traitor”, stressing that his connection with Barcelona made the prospect unthinkable.
“No, no, no,” Félix said. “I loved my time in Barcelona. Real Madrid may be the club missing from my career, but I am proud to have played for Barça.”
