Portugal legend Pepe has provided “a hug of gratitude” to his family and friends in a 33-minute video asserting his retirement after 878 membership and worldwide appearances.
The 41-year-old stated he had “actually believed” Portugal would win this summer time’s Uefa Euro 2024, the place he turned the oldest participant to participate within the finals, and admitted to “tears of helplessness” when the 2016 champions had been knocked out by France on penalties within the quarter-finals.
Victory in Portuguese competitors the Taca de Portugal proved Pepe’s closing membership recreation of a profession which included three Uefa Champions League titles throughout his time at Actual Madrid between 2007 and 2017.
Pepe stats
Pepe started his profession with Portuguese aspect Maritimo in 2002, shifting to Porto in 2004. “On my first go to, after I went to the FC Porto workplace, the chairman opened the curtain for me, raised the blinds and stated ‘that will probably be your house,’” remembered Pepe.
“[The chairman added] ‘Welcome, I hope you can be very glad at FC Porto. Your happiness will probably be ours’. I keep in mind these phrases, the video games I performed on the Estadio do Dragão. It was a membership that put me within the highlight of European soccer.”
After three spectacular seasons with Porto, Madrid signed Pepe for round £26.7m. He went on to win that hat-trick of Champions League trophies and three Liga titles amongst his honours with probably the most profitable membership in Europe earlier than spending a season in Turkey with Besiktas.
He spent the ultimate 5 years of his enjoying days with Porto, ending on 34 trophies throughout his profession, together with 5 Portuguese titles.
Portugal: Pepe caps
Born and raised in Brazil, Pepe turned a Portuguese citizen in August 2007 and was capped by Portugal for the primary time later that month.
Solely Cristiano Ronaldo, on 212 caps, and Joao Moutinho, with 146, have made extra appearances for the Selecao than the 141 collected by Pepe.
The centre-back thanked his agent Jorge Mendes and representatives, in addition to calling his mom “important in my journey by letting me fly in direction of my dream, which was to be an expert footballer”.
“My spouse was at house in my absence [and I thank] my youngsters for believing in me, for being a basic assist in my life, for supporting me after I left house to play,” added Pepe.
Porto midfielder Marko Grujic known as Pepe “a fantastic character within the dressing room” and “a real captain”. “In fact we’ll miss a participant like him,” added Grujic, through Ojogo.
“This membership has to reside with what it has. The older gamers, like me, will attempt to assist the children and do as Pepe did.”
