Nani hails Ronaldo as inspiration after retirement

Former Portugal international, Luis Nani, has paid tribute to Cristiano Ronaldo following the forward’s announcement of his retirement from international football, describing him as the “best of all time.”

Nani, who shared the pitch with Ronaldo for Portugal, praised his former teammate for inspiring a generation of Portuguese players and making the country proud. In a post on his X handle on Thursday, Nani said he was proud to have been part of Ronaldo’s international journey.

“You inspired us all and made us believe that, as Portuguese, we could be the best in the world. You made us feel proud of ourselves, as a people and as a national team,” he wrote.

The former Manchester United winger described Ronaldo as a reference point for players who followed him and shared memorable moments with him both on and off the pitch.

“To me, you’re the best of all time, not just for the player you were and for everything you gave to our national team, but also for what you represented to all of us,” Nani added.

He acknowledged that the pair sometimes disagreed but said their experiences together helped them grow and improve.

“For all of that, I can only say: thank you so much, Captain! What you did for Portugal and for all of us will never be forgotten,” he said.

Ronaldo announced his intention to retire from international football after Portugal’s November fixtures, bringing an end to a 23-year career with the national team. He leaves with 234 appearances and 146 goals, records in men’s international football, and helped Portugal win the 2016 European Championship and the UEFA Nations League in 2019 and 2025.