Ahead of the heated showdown between Portugal and Croatia, the entire stadium was filled with high respect for Portugal's legendary defender Pepe. Pepe, who officially announced his retirement last month, has won the respect and nostalgia of countless fans and teammates for his brilliant career and outstanding performance on the pitch. After the game, Portugal's defense center Ruben Dias, when talking about this predecessor, words full of gratitude and admiration.
"He is a warrior," said Ruben Diaz fondly, "On the pitch, Pepe always faces every challenge with fearlessness, and his tenacity and fighting spirit deeply infected me. I have learned a lot from him, not only the essence of soccer technique and tactics, but also the love of the game and the desire to win."
"To have had the opportunity to play alongside him for so long is an honor beyond words for me." Diaz continued, "Being around Pepe, I witnessed what true leadership and teamwork is all about. Every encouragement and every piece of advice he gave me had a profound effect on me."
Díaz also revealed a moving detail, "Today I completed my 61st international, and about 50 of those were with Pepe. It's not just a number, it represents our deep friendship and the years we fought together."
Diaz spoke highly of Pepe's importance in his career, "He has been very important to my past growth, my current form and my future development. Pepe is like a lighthouse that guides me on my way and makes me more determined and confident on this path of soccer."
Finally, Dias expressed his heartfelt wishes for Pepe's retirement, "Now that he has entered another phase of his life, I sincerely hope that he will enjoy this new journey. At the same time, I will also take his teachings and expectations of me and continue to work hard on the pitch to win more honors for Portugal."
