Cristiano Ronaldo, 39, has thanked teammate Tony Cross, 34, for announcing his retirement.
“Portuguese soccer star Cristiano Ronaldo has thanked his former Real Madrid teammate Toni Kroos for his retirement,” global media outlet Sport Kida reported on April 21 (KST).
The article highlighted a social media post in which Ronaldo responded to Cross’s retirement news. “Tony, it was an honor to be on the pitch with you,” Ronaldo wrote. Thank you for everything and all the best for the future,” he wrote.
Ronaldo and Kroos spent four years together, playing 170 official matches and sharing 16 goals. During this time, they were at the peak of their powers, winning 11 trophies, including three UEFA Champions League titles.
Ronaldo, who rarely sends official messages to his teammates when they retire, sent his deepest sympathies. “Crosby has decided to end his professional soccer career after Euro 2024,” Real Madrid announced on its official website on June 21.
“As I’ve always said, Real is my last club, and it will always be,” Cross said, adding, “The day I joined Real in 2014 was a day that changed my life as a footballer and as a human being. It’s been 10 years and at the end of the season this chapter will end,” Cross confirmed his retirement.
The news was met with a lot of disappointment, as Crosby was still performing at the highest level in La Liga and UCL. This was echoed by his teammates. In the wake 토토 of his retirement, a number of former and current teammates, including Ronaldo, have come forward to express their gratitude.
Of the two, Modric’s message to his “midfield partner,” with whom he won four UCL titles together, was the most talked about. “I really enjoyed playing with you,” Modric wrote. It was an honor to be part of Real’s midfield. You have the qualities of a special player and there will never be another Toni Kroos,” he wrote in tribute to Cross.
“I will never forget the golden years we spent at this club. We have achieved everything together, but there is still one more thing to come,” he added.
The final goal Modric mentioned is the UCL final against Dortmund on February 2, which will be the first time Real will face Dortmund in the competition. Should Real beat Dortmund to win the title, it would be the 15th of his career and a rare feat for a player who has won five titles with the club.