Luis Garcia issues Joao Felix warning for Milan: ‘Talent is not enough’ | OneFootball

Former Atletico Madrid, Barcelona and Liverpool striker Luis Garcia has issued a word of warning over the latest Milan sensation Joao Felix, despite his having lit up San Siro on his Rossoneri debut on Wednesday.

Joao Felix marked his first Milan appearance with a wonderfully taken chip off the substitutes bench to help his new team on their way to a 3-1 Coppa Italia victory over Claudio Ranieri’s Roma on Wednesday night.

Following his encouraging performance, there have already been reports that Milan are looking to extend his stay beyond the end of his loan deal, which expires in the summer.

Luis Garcia issues Joao Felix warning for Milan

MILAN, ITALY – FEBRUARY 05: Joao Felix of AC Milan celebrates scoring his team’s third goal during the Coppa Italia Quarter Final match between AC Milan and AS Roma at Stadio Giuseppe Meazza on February 05, 2025 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)

Though there has been plenty of praise for Joao Felix over the last week, Garcia fears that there could be an issue around mentality with the Portugal international, which has been a recurring topic among the Milan squad under both Paulo Fonseca and Sergio Conceicao this season.

“At the moment, I think that Joao Felix has not understood something that’s fundamental in modern football: Pure talent is no longer enough,” Garcia said on ESPN, reported via La Gazzetta dello Sport.

“Quality, technique and ability on the pitch are important attributes, but it’s not enough to succeed at the highest levels,” he continued.

“This might not apply to Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo, who were simply in another category, but in today’s football, if you play for a team like Atletico, Barcelona, Chelsea or now Milan, you have to give even more.”

Explaining what he means by the concept of ‘giving even more’, Garcia said: “That means working hard, fighting for every ball, getting stuck into tackles, making interceptions. It’s not enough to stand there waiting for the ball to come to your feet.

“If he doesn’t change mentality, I’m worried that we’ll continue seeing him move from one club to another. And unfortunately, the level of those teams could continue to drop.”