Right player, wrong team

Sometimes, the right player finds themselves trapped in a mismatch of playing styles and tactical philosophies. 

A high-profile case is João Félix, the Portuguese ‘eternal’ prodigy in Diego Simeone’s Atlético Madrid.

With his sublime technical skills, deft dribbling, and eye for goal, Felix epitomizes the modern attacking midfielder. 

When he switched Benfica’s red and white jersey for Atlético’s, the transfer raised a few eyebrows because his personality never matched the gritty Simeone ethos. And the €127.2 million price tag didn’t help issues.