The Exact Moment Roy Keane Knew His Career Was Over
Portugal’s European Championship hopes came to an abrupt end on Friday evening, as they fell to a 5-3 quarter-final defeat against France. The result marked a disappointing end to a tournament for the Portuguese, who were expected to make a deeper run.
For Cristiano Ronaldo, this could be his last major international tournament. The 39-year-old five-time Ballon d’Or winner failed to score across the entire tournament, a stark contrast to his impressive form in previous years.
Roy Keane, the former Manchester United captain, has weighed in on Ronaldo’s struggles, suggesting that the Portuguese star should take a break from international football. Keane, who knows a thing or two about hanging up his boots, recalled the exact moment he knew his career was over.
"For me, it was the training – I was at Celtic, and players can try and help you, and I was injured, but it was the training and taking painkillers," Keane said on The Overlap. "Everything in training was an effort, and you’re like, ‘This is just training.’ When you start losing your love of training, you’re like, ‘Time is up’ – we all love training."
Ian Wright, the former Arsenal striker, made a similar point, comparing Ronaldo’s performances to his own struggles towards the end of his career. Wright, who was 36 when he retired, said: "There are certain players that I know that when I was doing my stuff, they wouldn’t have been able to get near me with the movement."
Wright added: "I was 36 and at Burnley – we got promoted at the very end, but when you’re playing against certain players and you do stuff – I said to myself, ‘I’m done’."
[Image: Keane insisted he knew it was time to hang up his boots while training at Celtic (Getty)]
The image of Keane in Celtic training gear, struggling to keep up with his teammates, is a poignant reminder that even the greatest players eventually reach a point of decline.
For Ronaldo, it may be time to take a step back from international football and focus on his club career. While he may still have a few tricks up his sleeve, his performances at Euro 2024 have raised questions about his ability to dominate the biggest games.
Follow us on all social media platforms for more updates