Roy Keane, the legendary former Manchester United captain, has shared the precise moment he realized his football career was over, sending a cautionary message to Cristiano Ronaldo.
Keane’s Realization
Speaking on “The Overlap,” a show presented by Sky Bet, Keane recounted his time at Celtic when the challenges of training became overwhelming. “For me, it was the training,” Keane said. “I was at Celtic, and players can try and help you and I was injured, but it was the training and taking painkillers. Everything in training was an effort and you’re like, ‘This is just training.’ When you start losing your love of training, you know time is up – we all love training.”
Ronaldo’s Future
The discussion comes in the wake of Portugal’s European Championship exit, where Roberto Martinez’s side fell 5-3 to France in the quarter-finals. This defeat likely marks Cristiano Ronaldo’s last major championship appearance for Portugal, with the 39-year-old five-time Ballon d’Or winner failing to score throughout the tournament.
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Keane suggested that Ronaldo should consider stepping back from international football, at least temporarily. “Cristiano should have a break and step back from international football, and if he’s still playing at club level, then have a look at the World Cup when it comes around,” Keane advised.
Ian Wright’s Comparison
Adding to the conversation, Ian Wright compared Ronaldo’s current performances for Portugal to his own experiences at the end of his career at Burnley. “There are certain players that I know that when I was doing my stuff, they wouldn’t have been able to get near me with the movement,” Wright said. “I could not get away from anyone and this is what I’m seeing when I’m watching Ronaldo. He’s doing the stuff, but they [defenders] are there.”
Wright recalled his own struggles at Burnley: “I was 36 and at Burnley – we got promoted at the very end but when you’re playing against certain players and you do stuff – I said to myself, ‘I’m done’. Going to Burnley for my first coach at Crystal Palace, Stan Ternent, he said, ‘Listen, come, we have half a chance, you’re experienced’, but then when you’re playing you feel, ‘This is embarrassing – I can’t do anything – I can’t even hold some of the ball in games’.”
As Ronaldo faces the twilight of his illustrious career, the reflections of legends like Roy Keane and Ian Wright offer a poignant reminder of the inevitable challenges that come with aging in professional sports. Their insights suggest that even the greatest athletes must eventually recognize when it’s time to step back and reevaluate their contributions to the game.
