Heartbroken Pepe sends ‘painful’ message to Cristiano Ronaldo after Portugal’s Euro 2024 defeat to France

Portugal’s UEFA Euro 2024 campaign has come to an unfortunate end. Despite holding France to a draw for 120 minutes, Roberto Martinez and his team-mates were unlucky in the penalty shootout against the 2018 world champions, losing 3-5As news of their failure to reach the semi-finals spread, star player Pepe sent a special message to his former team-mate, Cristiano Ronaldowhich ‘means a lot.’

After the match, the Navegadores stars were seen consoling each other. Pepe, also the oldest player at Euro 2024, walked over to his former Real Madrid teammate and hugged Ronaldo while shedding tears. Interestingly, during the post-match interview, when asked if his hug had any special meaning, Pepe replied: “It means a lot. We have to go through this stage and it’s painful.”

The former Porto player is clearly saddened by the fact that his country could not progress in the European tournament. Unlike last time, Ronaldo kept his cool and did not show much emotion. On the contrary, he kept his head high and was seen consoling Pepe with a smile. After all, veterans have no choice but to accept defeat. Unfortunately, it was also their last appearance at the Euros, especially for Pepe, who played the last game of his career.

Ronaldo, meanwhile, is still on the pitch and will return to national action after weeks of rest. The 39-year-old has not yet decided whether he will participate in the 2026 World Cup. But the biggest question is whether that decision could be influenced by his recent participation in the Euros.

What’s next for Cristiano Ronaldo and Portugal after UEFA Euro 2024 elimination?

Despite being considered favourites to go all the way, Cristiano Ronaldo and Portugal’s run in the European tournament has not been what was hoped for. While the team has done their best to dominate on the pitch, things have gone awry for CR7. The Al Nassr star has been heavily criticised throughout the campaign, with fans urging Roberto Martinez to bench him instead. Questions have been raised about his degrading quality and he has even been criticised for holding his beloved nation back.

His 0-0 run throughout the tournament speaks volumes and suggests that age could be catching up with him. So we may be hearing the worst news that could hit football fans in the worst way possible: this could be Ronaldo’s last international tournament for Portugal. Either way, it’s too early to speculate on his future with the Navegadores. For now, he has to deal with this defeat.