Just under a month ago, Lionel Messi retired from international football. Yesterday, Cristiano Ronaldo announced his retirement from international football as well.
Who would have thought that two of the greatest to ever play the sport would retire from their respective national teams in the same year ๐ฅน
The end of an era ๐ ๐
๐จ BREAKING: Fans have voted Cristiano Ronaldoโs free-kick against Spain at the 2018 World Cup as the greatest free-kick in World Cup history. ๐ต๐น๐
๐จ๐ธ๐ณ Sadio Manรฉ on what Cristiano Ronaldo told him after scoring a hat-trick for Al-Nassr today. ๐
๐ฃ๏ธ Sadio Manรฉ:
โAfter the game, Cristiano came to me and told me something I will never forget.
He said, โSadio, I love you, brother. You have helped me get closer to my dream of scoring 1,000 career goals, and I will always appreciate that.โ
โHe told me that he no longer sees me as just a teammate or a friend, but as his younger brother. Honestly, those words meant a lot to me because Cristiano is someone I respect deeply.
โHe also told me that one day, he hopes we can visit Senegal together and do something special for the people there through charity. That touched my heart.
โFootball has given me many things, but building a genuine relationship with someone like Cristiano Ronaldo is something I will always treasure. Heโs more than a teammate to me. Heโs family. โค๏ธ๐ค๐ธ๐ณโ
๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐คฏ
It's like he's had two completely different careers ๐ณ
โฝ ๐๐ข๐๐๐ฆ:
Before 30: 4๏ธโฃ6๏ธโฃ3๏ธโฃ
After 30: 5๏ธโฃ2๏ธโฃ2๏ธโฃ
โฝโฝโฝ ๐๐๐ง-๐ง๐ฅ๐๐๐๐ฆ:
Before 30: 3๏ธโฃ0๏ธโฃ
After 30: 3๏ธโฃ7๏ธโฃ
๐ ๐ง๐ฅ๐ข๐ฃ๐๐๐๐ฆ:
Before 30: 1๏ธโฃ8๏ธโฃ
After 30: 1๏ธโฃ9๏ธโฃ
โฝโฝ ๐๐ฅ๐๐๐๐ฆ:
Before 30: 8๏ธโฃ6๏ธโฃ
After 30: 9๏ธโฃ0๏ธโฃ
โฝ๐ ฐ๏ธ ๐/๐:
Before 30: 6๏ธโฃ1๏ธโฃ8๏ธโฃ
After 30: 6๏ธโฃ2๏ธโฃ8๏ธโฃ
Most players spend their 30s slowing down, but Cristiano somehow reached another level.
๐ง๐๐๐ฆ ๐๐ข๐ก๐๐๐ฉ๐๐ง๐ฌ ๐๐ฆ ๐จ๐ก๐ฅ๐๐๐. ๐
๐จ Zinedine Zidane on Cristiano Ronaldo scoring for Al Nassr after the Jorge Jesus controversy:
๐ฃ๏ธZinedine Zidane :
โYou saw the goal today. Coman hits it, the keeper gets a hand to it, and Cristiano is already there. Rebound, finish, done. Thatโs him. Forty-one, and heโs still the one who wants the second ball.
And Jorge Jesus spent the international break talking like that player was finished. He knows him. He coached him. You donโt warm a guy like that up, leave him standing, then go out and act like you never promised him the minutes. Thatโs not a decision. Thatโs disrespect.
People want to punish Cristiano for walking. Punish the coach. Heโs the one who gave his word and didnโt keep it.
Look at those Portugal games without him. They got through them, yeah. Tight, nervous, hanging on longer than they should have. Cristiano closes games. Thatโs what heโs done his whole life. Jesus made it harder than it needed to be because he left the one player out who settles it.
Then he comes back, scores for Al Nassr, and everybody acts surprised. Iโm not surprised. I coached him. I take my hat off. Jesus should as well.โ
๐จ๐จ| Before Al-Nassr's match, their fans unveiled a massive banner with 'CR7' on it with the caption 'Greatness is EARNED.'
Al-Nassr fans also were chanting his name at the 7th minute. After the match, Ronaldo put on an Al-Nassr scarf and celebrated with the fans. โค๏ธ๐คฉ
๐จ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐: Football icon David Silva ๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ โ after 3 years ๐ช๐ธโจ
After three years away from professional football, David Silva is ๐๐๐๐ at the age of 40! ๐คฏ๐ฅ
The Manchester City and Spain legend has joined Hong Kong Premier League side Supreme Sha Tin on a short-term deal ๐ญ๐ฐ
๏ธ
๐ป๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐ช๐ฅน