Virat Kohli, on Monday, penned a note for Cristiano Ronaldo. The former India captain described the Portugal mainstay as the ‘epitome of hard work and dedication’ and said that ‘no trophy or title can take anything away’ from him.

Ronaldo’s Portugal were knocked out of the FIFA World Cup 2022 after their loss against Morocco in the quarterfinal. The 37-year-old striker left the field in tears. 

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He started on the bench for Portugal’s games in the last 16 — a 6-1 victory over Switzerland — and the quarterfinals. The five-time Ballon d’Or winner finished the World Cup with one goal. 

Ronaldo is also without a club. He and Manchester United parted ways in the wake of an explosive interview where he criticized the manager, board and his teammates. 

“No trophy or any title can take anything away from what you’ve done in this sport and for sports fans around the world. No title can explain the impact you’ve had on people and what I and so many around the world feel when we watch you play. That’s a gift from god,” Kohli said on Instagram. 

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The star India batter has openly spoken about his admiration of Ronaldo. As per Kohli, the Portuguese is the ‘most complete player’.  

“A real blessing to a man who plays his heart out every single time and is the epitome of hard work and dedication and a true inspiration for any sportsperson. You are for me the greatest of all time. 🐐👑,” Kohli added. 

The next major tournament is the Euros in 2024. The next World Cup will be held in the United States, Canada and Mexico in 2026, by which time Ronaldo will be 41 years old.

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Will he play? Well, no one knows. 

In a cryptic social media post, Ronaldo said that his dream of winning the World Cup with Portugal has ended. 

“There’s no point in reacting rashly,” Ronaldo wrote on Instagram. “I just want everybody to know that a lot has been said, a lot has been written, a lot has been speculated about, but my dedication to Portugal has never wavered for an instant.”