... BUT ARE PORTUGAL BETTER OFF WITHOUT RONALDO?
Cristiano Ronaldo was enjoying the fresh air and chatting with his best friend and advisor, Ricardo Regufe, when out of nowhere he stopped the conversation. With a couple of whistles and a swirl of his right hand, CR7 called time and gave the gesture to his Portugal colleagues – turn around, lads, we’re going home. Without a word, they followed him back to the team hotel like a pack of faithful pets.
That scene took place on the Cascais coastline near Lisbon, amid a crowd of fans, photographers and cameramen in October 2019. It’s part of a ritual that the reigning European champions have on matchdays: before each game, players and staff go for a morning walk, mingling with locals, posing for pictures and signing autographs. It rarely lasts more than half an hour, and often ends when it feels right for Ronaldo.
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