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Brazilian football star Neymar Jr. has paid tribute to Cristiano Ronaldo following the Portuguese forward's announcement that he is retiring from international football. Neymar took to Instagram on Thursday, November 5, to describe the 41-year-old as a “Lenda,” or “Legend,” in Portuguese, accompanied by clapping emojis. The reaction comes after Ronaldo confirmed via a lengthy video on his own social media account that he will end his 23-year career with the Portuguese national team after the upcoming international break.
In his farewell message, Ronaldo disclosed that he would relinquish the iconic number seven jersey, which he has worn throughout his tenure with the national team. Reflecting on his two decades of service, the former Real Madrid and Manchester United forward stated, “To the Portuguese people, the day has come for me to hand back the number seven shirt of our national team. I never felt it belonged to me alone, but for 23 years I had the privilege and responsibility of wearing it, defending it and carrying it with me into stadiums all around the world.”
Ronaldo acknowledged the emotional difficulty of the decision, noting that it was not a choice made through logic alone. “It was not an easy decision. Because some decisions are not made with the mind alone. They are also made with the heart,” he added. His departure marks the end of a historic international career in which he recorded 234 appearances and scored 146 goals, establishing him as the most-capped player and highest-scoring goalscorer in men's international football history.
During his time representing Portugal, Ronaldo led the nation to its first major international trophy at Euro 2016. He also secured victories in the UEFA Nations League in both 2019 and 2025. His retirement has prompted tributes from various figures in the football world, including his former teammate Pepe and the official Instagram account of the Premier League.
Neymar’s tribute carries particular significance given the history between the two players, who spent four seasons as rivals in Spain while representing Barcelona and Real Madrid, respectively. Neymar, who announced his own retirement from international football in July following Brazil's 2-1 defeat to Norway in the World Cup round of 16, joins a growing list of peers honoring Ronaldo’s legacy.
<small>Source: Daily Post Nigeria — read the original story there.</small>
