Cristiano Ronaldo has shared a heartfelt tribute for his Portugal teammate Pepe after the talismanic defender decided to hang up his boots. Ronaldo shared a series of photographs that showcased some epic moments the duo enjoyed together. Ronaldo also accompanied the post with a warm caption that read, “No words to express how much you mean to me, my friend. We won everything there was to win on the field, but the biggest achievement is the friendship and respect I have for you. You are unique my brother. Thank you for so much."
Cristiano Ronaldo and Pepe’s camaraderie dates back to 2007 when the latter made his debut with Portugal. Since then, the Portuguese duo developed an unbreakable bond that even followed them in their club careers. The duo spent nearly a decade competing in LaLiga as teammates at Real Madrid. Pepe joined the Los Blancos in 2007 with Ronaldo arriving two years later for a then-record fee. They won the domestic league title twice together along with three UEFA Champions League titles in 2014, 2016 and 2017. On the international level, Ronaldo and Pepe won the Euro 2016 and the Nations League 2018-19.
Apart from Cristiano Ronaldo’s wholesome tribute, Pepe also received warm wishes from Portugal coach Roberto Martinez in a YouTube video shared by the Portugal Football Federation. In the video, the coach can be heard saying, “Dear Pepe, today is a very special day for you and your family, but also for Portuguese football. I would like to send you my best wishes." He then added, “I will divide my message into two points. Firstly, congratulations. Congratulations on your career, a career full of successes, full of good times and good memories that will stay with you for the rest of your life…Secondly, thank you. Thank you for what you did for the national team, for what you did during your fifth European Championship, which is undoubtedly an example. You left a legacy for future generations of Portugal."
Pepe’s former club Porto FC also shared the defender’s photograph on Instagram and wrote, “A career and a legacy that will always be an example for any Porto fan. There are only two possible words: congratulations and thank you."
Pepe, at the age of 41, recently became the oldest player ever to compete at the European Championship finals this year. His last match was Portugal's penalty shootout defeat at the hands of France in the quarter-finals.
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