"A true warrior" - Sergio Ramos sends heartfelt message to former Real Madrid teammate Pepe as he announces retirement

Sergio Ramos has sent a heartfelt message to former Real Madrid teammate Pepe, who announced his decision to retire from professional football on Thursday, August 8. The 41-year-old announced his decision to hang up his boots after an illustrious 23-year career.

The Portuguese center-back recorded 15 goals and 20 assists in 334 appearances for Los Blancos. He won three La Liga titles, two Copa del Rey, two Supercopas de España, three UEFA Champions League titles, two FIFA Club World Cups, and two UEFA Super Cups.

Pepe and Sergio Ramos shared the pitch for 10 years, from 2007 to 2017, during their time at Los Blancos. Together, they formed one of the best central-defensive partnerships of the modern era. Pepe and Ramos played 252 matches together for Real Madrid, winning 178 of those.

Sergio Ramos made a post on social media where he shared pictures of him and the former Portuguese star playing for Real Madrid, with the caption:

"A true warrior. Many matches, wins and trophies together. It was a pleasure playing alongside you. I wish you the best, my friend."

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The legendary Portuguese defender joined Turkish club Beşiktaş for the 2017-18 season following his tenure at Real Madrid.

Portugal send heartwarming message following former Real Madrid star Pepe's decision to retire

The official Twitter (now X) account of the Portugal national football team shared a heartwarming message after the 41-year-old announced his decision to hang up his boots. The Selecao made a post honoring the legendary center-back and thanking him for his contributions. The caption read (translated to English):

"We will always remain together: thank you for everything, Pepe!"

The former Real Madrid defender, who made his senior debut for Portugal in November 2007, recorded eight goals and four assists in 141 appearances across competitions for the Selecao. He won the 2016 UEFA European Championship and the 2018–19 UEFA Nations League with Portugal.