At Clairefontaine on Sunday morning, Zinédine Zidane spoke with the warmth of a former coach rather than the distance of an international manager as Cristiano Ronaldo’s likely farewell to Portugal came into focus.
The France coach paid tribute to the 41-year-old forward, whom he managed during Real Madrid’s remarkable run of three consecutive Champions League titles in 2016, 2017 and 2018. Zidane rejected any suggestion that Ronaldo had been denied a fitting final moment with his national side.
“What matters is recognising the scale of his career,” Zidane said. “What he achieved was extraordinary. I was fortunate to coach him and he helped me win incredible things. All I can say is: congratulations, Cristiano.”
Zidane added that his respect for players is particularly strong when he has worked closely with them, and singled out Ronaldo for the trophies and success he brought to Madrid during their time together.
A Portugal chapter seemingly closing
Ronaldo left the Portugal squad last Wednesday after being named among the substitutes for the match against Norway by coach Jorge Jesus. The move has intensified expectations that his international career may be nearing its end.
If it proves to be his final departure from Portugal duty, Ronaldo leaves behind figures of extraordinary scale: 234 caps and 146 international goals. Zidane’s words at the French national training centre reflected the standing of a player who helped define an era in Madrid and remained a central figure for his country well into his forties.
