Connect with us

Sports

Portugal’s Pepe Announces Retirement, Closing a Decorated Career

Published

on

Portugal's Pepe Announces Retirement, Closing a Decorated Career

Portugal defender Pepe has announced his retirement from professional football, marking the end of a highly decorated career that spanned more than two decades. At 41, Pepe recently became the oldest player to participate in a European Championship finals, with his last match being Portugal’s penalty shootout defeat to France in the quarter-finals.

Throughout his illustrious career, Pepe earned 141 caps for Portugal, making him the third most-capped player in the country’s history, following Cristiano Ronaldo and Joao Moutinho. His club career included successful stints at Real Madrid, Porto, Besiktas, and Maritimo.

In an emotional 33-minute video posted online on Thursday, Pepe expressed gratitude to everyone who supported him throughout his career. He reflected on his journey, saying, “I can’t help but thank all the presidents who bet and believed in me to be able to perform my work.”

Advertisement

Pepe’s career highlights include winning the UEFA Euro 2016 with Portugal and securing three UEFA Champions League titles and three La Liga titles during his ten-year tenure at Real Madrid. His achievements have left an indelible mark on the sport, and he is widely regarded as one of the most successful defenders of his generation.

Pepe concluded his message with heartfelt thanks, stating, “To all the employees of all the clubs I’ve been to, who are the soul and essence of the clubs and the national team. And I want to thank everyone in the background. I want to leave a thank-you and a hug of gratitude for all of you.”

Advertisement
Continue Reading
Advertisement
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Sports

Curtis Jones and Tino Livramento Added to England Squad for Nations League Matches

Published

on

Curtis Jones and Tino Livramento Added to England Squad for Nations League Matches

Uncapped Liverpool midfielder Curtis Jones and Newcastle full-back Tino Livramento have been called up to the senior England squad ahead of this week’s crucial Nations League matches against Greece and Finland.

Jones, 23, had his first taste of senior selection in May when Gareth Southgate included him in a provisional 33-man squad for Euro 2024, though he didn’t make the final cut. His impressive performances for the Under-21s, especially during England’s triumph in the 2023 European Under-21 Championship under interim manager Lee Carsley, have earned him another opportunity at the senior level.

Livramento, who was part of last month’s squad but didn’t feature in the games against the Republic of Ireland and Finland, has once again been called upon by Carsley, who is serving as England’s interim manager.

Advertisement

Meanwhile, captain Harry Kane trained separately from the rest of the squad at St George’s Park but is expected to be fit for Thursday’s game against Greece at Wembley. Manchester City’s Jack Grealish also missed training as a precaution due to a minor knock, but his status for the upcoming matches remains hopeful.

The Three Lions will aim to secure key victories as they face Greece at home before traveling to Finland on Sunday to complete their Nations League fixtures.

Advertisement
Continue Reading

Sports

Manchester United’s Harry Maguire Sidelined for ‘A Few Weeks’ with Injury

Published

on

Manchester United’s Harry Maguire Sidelined for ‘A Few Weeks’ with Injury

Manchester United and England defender Harry Maguire has confirmed he will be out of action for several weeks due to an injury sustained during United’s 0-0 draw with Aston Villa in the Premier League on Sunday. Maguire, 31, was forced to leave the match at half-time after getting injured in the first half and was later seen leaving Villa Park in a protective boot.

In a social media post, Maguire expressed his frustration, saying, “Frustrated to pick up an injury at the weekend, will be a few weeks on the sideline for me but I’ll come back stronger.”

The injury means Maguire will miss England’s upcoming Nations League fixtures against Greece and Finland, after being left out of Lee Carsley’s squad. Maguire has made nine appearances for Manchester United this season, with his most recent goal coming in the 3-3 Europa League match against Porto on October 3.

Advertisement

This is another setback for the centre-back, who also missed Euro 2024 due to a calf problem.

Continue Reading

Sports

Chelsea and Nottingham Forest Charged for Failing to Control Players in Premier League Clash

Published

on

Chelsea and Nottingham Forest Charged for Failing to Control Players in Premier League Clash

Chelsea and Nottingham Forest have been charged by the Football Association (FA) for failing to control their players after a heated confrontation during their 1-1 Premier League match at Stamford Bridge on Sunday. The clash occurred toward the end of the game and involved multiple players from both sides, resulting in a mass altercation.

Despite the intense nature of the incident, no action will be taken against Chelsea forward Nicolas Jackson, who appeared to slap Forest’s Morato during the fracas. The Video Assistant Referee (VAR) reviewed the altercation but decided against further punishment for Jackson.

The confrontation began when Forest’s Neco Williams seemingly pushed Chelsea defender Marc Cucurella off the pitch, igniting tensions between the teams. Following this, players from both sides were involved in the clash, which saw three yellow cards issued—Williams for Forest, and Cucurella and Levi Colwill for Chelsea.

Advertisement

In a statement, the FA said, “It’s alleged that both clubs failed to ensure their players didn’t behave in an improper and/or provocative way around the 88th minute.” Both Chelsea and Nottingham Forest have until Thursday to respond to the charges.

In addition to the altercation, Chelsea faces a separate £50,000 fine for receiving six or more bookings during the match, a threshold they have reached for the second time this season.

Advertisement
Continue Reading

Trending