Atlético Madrid fans vandalised João Félix’s hall of fame plaque outside their Metropolitano stadium on Wednesday after the forward completed his move to Chelsea.
The Portugal international joined the Premier League club on a seven-year contract for a fee of around €50 million ($55.7m) after an inconsistent five-year spell in Madrid.
Atlético players who have made over 100 appearances for the club are awarded a plaque in a “Walk of Centenary Players” outside the stadium on the outskirts of Madrid.
On Wednesday, Félix’s plaque was covered with litter and an abusive message was written in chalk.
The player signed for Atlético from Benfica in a club-record €126 million deal in July 2019.
He struggled to perform consistently and adapt to coach Diego Simeone’s style of football, and left on loan for Chelsea in January 2023, before joining Barcelona on loan for the 2023-24 season in a move he described as a “dream come true.”
Félix’s plaque is not the first to be targeted by disgruntled Atlético fans.
The plaque honouring Thibaut Courtois — who played for Atlético on loan between 2011 and 2014 — was targeted after he joined rivals Real Madrid in 2018, with fans leaving toy rats on the commemoration.
Antoine Griezmann’s plaque was defaced in 2019 when he signed for Barcelona before the France international returned to Atlético in 2021.
In May 2022, Courtois’ plaque was removed overnight by unknown parties, after fans took offence at comments he made before Real Madrid’s Champions League final, saying he was now “on the right side of history.”
Courtois played for Atlético in their Champions League final defeat to Real Madrid in 2014.
Months after that incident, Atlético announced that the hall of fame, previously known as the “Walk of Legends” was being renamed the “Walk of Centenary Players” at the request of fans.
The club also said that a player’s plaque could be revoked if they made “denigrating or offensive statements against Atlético Madrid or its fans.”
