"The king is back!"- Cristiano Ronaldo excited about star's return ahead of Portugal's World Cup playoff final against North Macedonia
Manchester United star Cristiano Ronaldo was thrilled to see Pepe return to Portugal's squad ahead of their 2022 FIFA World Cup playoff final against North Macedonia on Tuesday. The 39-year-old defender did not feature in the team's 3-1 victory over Turkey on Friday due to COVID-19.
The Porto star has made 123 appearances for his country and has scored seven goals. He played a key role in A Selecao's Euro 2016 triumph and their 2018-19 UEFA Nations League success. Pepe took part in Portugal's penultimate training session ahead of their clash with North Macedonia.
Meanwhile, North Macedonia progressed to the playoff final, thanks to an incredible 1-0 victory over Italy in the previous round. They could pose a huge test for Fernando Santos' side. Ronaldo, though, was in a buoyant mood during the training session and was delighted to see Pepe rejoin the team.
"The king is back! Pepe is back in the house! Look out!," said the United forward as per Times of India.
Pepe and the former Juventus forward spent eight seasons together at Real Madridm, winning two La Liga, two Copa del Rey and three UEFA Champions League titles.
The 39-year-old's experience, leadership and warrior-like spirit could be key for Fernando Santos' side on Tuesday as they look to seal their place in Qatar.
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📸| Cristiano Ronaldo & Pepe in today's training session. ❤️💪🏻
Pepe is back.
Aware of Pepe's first steps on the pitch, Cristiano Ronaldo greeted his companion with an enlightening message, loud and clear: "Pepito is back. The king is back! "
❤️👏🏻 https://t.co/uLRMM7rylc
Portugal's lack of dependence on Cristiano Ronaldo is a major positive
Portugal have been heavily dependent on their captain Cristiano Ronaldo's goalscoring in major tournaments for a while.
The 37-year-old was the top goalscorer at Euro 2020 with five goals in four games. He was unable to guide his team beyond the Round of 16 stage, though, due to a lack of support and quality. from his teammates.
The five-time Ballon d'Or winner endured a frustrating night during A Seleccao's victory over Turkey on Friday. He failed to find the back of the net, squandering many chances and also hitting the woodwork late on. Liverpool star Diogo Jota and Porto midfielder Otavio, though, produced impressive performances to lead Santos' side to a 3-1 victory on the night.
Diogo Jota vs Turkey
• 15/17 (88%) passes
• 2 chances created (=2nd in game)
• 38 touches
• 4 shots (2nd)
• 1 goal
• 2/5 dribbles (2nd)
Lovely headed goal is his 20th goal for club and country (19 for LFC) this season. Leading Portugal towards the World Cup 👌 🇵🇹 https://t.co/4LZD8TjlWY
A Selecao possesses one of the best attacks in international football. The presence of Bernardo Silva, Bruno Fernandes, Diogo Jota and Joao Felix has led many to believe the team can get results even if Ronaldo has an off night.