Ronaldo Pays Tribute as Pepe Retires
Cristiano Ronaldo referred to Pepe as his “brother” after the Portuguese defender announced his retirement at the age of 41.
“No words can express the significance you hold in my life, my brother,” Ronaldo wrote. “We’ve won every title together, but the greatest achievement is the friendship and respect I have for you. You are truly one of a kind, my brother. Thank you so much.”
Pepe made 141 appearances for the Portuguese national team, ranking just behind Ronaldo (211 appearances) and Joao Moutinho (146 appearances). Alongside these two teammates, Pepe was part of the historic Portugal squad that won the Euro 2016. His final match in his illustrious career was during Portugal’s penalty shootout loss to France in the quarter-finals of Euro 2024—a tournament in which he participated as the oldest player.
Following the tournament in Germany, there were rumors that the 41-year-old defender would retire. Yesterday, Pepe confirmed these rumors by posting a 33-minute video, announcing his decision. In the video, Pepe expressed his gratitude to everyone who supported him throughout his career.
“I don’t know what more to say than thank you to the club presidents who believed in me and trusted that I could perform well. I also want to thank the staff at every club I played for—they are the heart and soul of every team. And I want to thank everyone behind the scenes who has always supported me. Sending a big hug to you all,” Pepe said.
At the club level, Pepe’s career highlight was his 10 seasons with Real Madrid, where he won three La Liga titles, three Champions League trophies, and two FIFA Club World Cups. In 2019, he returned to Porto, where he played until his retirement. Last year, Pepe became the oldest player to score in a Champions League match with a goal against Antwerp in the group stage.
Pepe was well-known for his aggressive playing style, receiving a total of 17 red cards and 212 yellow cards throughout his career.
