“I don’t believe they live soccer here, they don’t play under pressure”

“I don’t believe they live soccer here. They don’t play under pressure.”

João Félix’s words have sent shockwaves through the world of soccer in the US, with the Portuguese star seemingly openly criticising the way people experience the world’s most popular sport.

Speaking ahead of the game against the USMNT in Atlanta, Félix, who plays for Saudi Arabian side Al Nassr, did not hold back when talking to the press gathered ahead of kick-off.

His comments has sparked something of a social media backlash, while others have pointed out the supposed differences between experiencing football in the United States compared to Europe, where it is the number 1 sport by a distance.

“Apart from three or four teams at the bottom, the other games are evenly matched”

Aside from his swipe at soccer, Félix also spoke about the competitiveness of Saudi football, saying “whether you’d say it’s a more or less competitive league depends on which leagues you compare it to. Apart from three or four teams at the bottom of the table, against whom we know victory is almost guaranteed, the other games are evenly matched. There are eight matchdays left until the end of the season and four teams are fighting for the title.”

The Portuguese previously played for Chelsea, and was asked why he left the Premier League. “I felt good there,” he reminisced. “I just moved because I wanted to play often. I did what I needed to do. The move was positive, I’m happy, I’m enjoying football.

“That’s the most important thing. I’m happy at Al Nassr," he continued. "We are having a fantastic season. I hope to win the league, we are close to that. We have eight games left and we are in first place.”

The USMNT take on Portugal at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Tuesday at 7 p.m. ET. And now they have something to stick on the locker room wall ahead of the game.

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