“He put his country on the world map”: Manchester United legend on Cristiano Ronaldo’s great legacy

Former legendary defender of the England national team and Manchester United, Rio Ferdinand, commented on Cristiano Ronaldo's decision to end his career with the Portugal national team, highlighting his unparalleled role not only in sports but in the history of the entire country.

Speaking through his personal YouTube channel, Ferdinand emphasized that Cristiano has taken the state of Portugal to an entirely new level on the global stage.

“Ronaldo put his country on the world map”

The former English footballer placed Ronaldo's influence on the national team above all the greats of Portuguese football in the past:

• Comparison with legends: “Before Ronaldo, the Portugal national team had Luis Figo, Rui Costa, and other stars. And before them, the great Eusébio played. But none of them could take Portugal to the heights that CR7 did,” said Ferdinand;

• Global attention: In Rio's opinion, Ronaldo made not just football, but the entire country known to the world: “He put his country on the world map. Ronaldo drew the eyes of people who had no interest in the country toward Portugal. Look at what football is capable of!”

A great era reflected in numbers

The 41-year-old football legend made history by recording astonishing statistics in the national team jersey:

• 234 matches and 146 goals: Cristiano set an absolute record as the top scorer and the player with the most appearances in the history of national teams;

• Titles won: Under his captaincy, Portugal became European champions for the first time in its history in 2016, and also lifted the UEFA Nations League trophy twice.

Thus, the era of Cristiano Ronaldo, who raised an entire generation in world football and turned a small country into a massive football empire, has officially come to an end.