Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo has paid a heartfelt tribute to his longtime teammate Pepe, who announced his retirement from football on Thursday at the age of 41.
Pepe’s final game was at Euro 2024, where Portugal was eliminated by France in the quarter-finals. His appearance in the tournament made him the oldest player ever to compete in a European Championship.
Pepe made 141 appearances for Portugal, ranking third behind Ronaldo (211) and João Moutinho (146).
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Cristiano Ronaldo took to X to express his admiration: “There are not enough words to express how much you mean to me, friend. We won everything on the field, but the greatest achievement is the friendship and respect I have for you. You are unique, my brother. Thank you so much.”
Pepe spent a decade at Real Madrid, including eight years with Ronaldo, during which they secured three LaLiga titles, three Champions League trophies, and two FIFA Club World Cups.
