Hakimi sends a message to Ronaldo after his international retirement
Moroccan international star Achraf Hakimi was keen to send a farewell message to football legend Cristiano Ronaldo after the Portuguese icon announced his retirement from international play.
The star of the Moroccan national team and French club Paris Saint-Germain recalled a moment that brought them together in a previous edition of the World Cup.
Hakimi posted on his official Instagram account a photo of him with Ronaldo from the match between Morocco and Portugal in the 2018 World Cup in Russia, attaching a comment in English that read: "Thank you for everything, Cristiano. You are a legend who will remain immortal in the history of football forever."
That photo dates back to the match between the Moroccan and Portuguese teams in the second round of the group stage of the World Cup finals more than 8 years ago, which ended with a one-goal victory for Ronaldo's teammates.
Ronaldo scored the only goal of the match with a header in the fourth minute, giving the Portuguese team three valuable points, while the Moroccan team suffered its second consecutive defeat, leading to its early exit from the World Cup.
Hakimi started for Morocco in that match, in one of his first experiences on the world stage, while Ronaldo was leading the Portuguese national team in his fourth World Cup appearance.
At the age of forty-one, Ronaldo brought the curtain down on an exceptional international career that began in August 2003.
During this career, "the Madeira Rocket" played 234 matches and scored 146 goals, becoming the world record holder for international appearances and goals scored in men's football.
المصدر: dpa
