On November 5, after Ronaldo officially announced his retirement from international football with Portugal, his teammate Rafael Leao posted on social media to pay tribute to the Portugal legend.
Leao wrote: "An idol for generations, thank you for everything you've done 🥺"
Leao and Ronaldo played alongside each other for Portugal in numerous international competitions. They represented the national team together at the European Championship, the World Cup and the Nations League, and won the 2025 Nations League together. Leao grew up watching Ronaldo play, so sharing a dressing room with his idol was undoubtedly a special experience. In several earlier interviews, Leao also spoke of his respect and admiration for Ronaldo.