Who are the Twins Stars in Football World?

With no doubt, the answer is Ronaldo and Pepe. The Portugal team is a star studded team, and the two most dazzling stars are undoubtedly Ronaldo and Pepe.

Pepe, as the defensive core of the Portuguese team, has long been known for his tenacious defense and tenacious spirit. Since his first appearance for the Portugal national team in 2007, Pepe has contributed numerous key defensive and leadership roles to the team on the international stage. 

Ronaldo is undoubtedly one of the most dazzling stars in the history of Portuguese football. Since his first appearance for the national team in 2003, Ronaldo has played for Portugal for over 20 years. His goals, assists, and leadership qualities have brought countless honors and pride to the team.
On the pitch, Ronaldo and Pepe showed a remarkable understanding of each other's playing styles. Ronaldo's incredible goalscoring ability is often complemented by Pepe's solid defensive skills.

In the Portugal national team, Pepe has always been Ronaldo's the most trustful partner. Their cooperation is incredibly seamless. At times, when Ronaldo is inconvenient, Pepe would step forward to help him. Whether on or off the field, they are the best friends. Their friendship is deep and touching.

The Beginning of Their Journey Together

Ronaldo and Pepe are both Portuguese (Pepe was born in Brazil). In 2002, 17-year-old Ronaldo and 19-year-old Pepe went on a trial at Sporting Lisbon. In 2007, Pepe, who has played as a central defender, was attracted by Real Madrid with 30 million euros, two years later, Ronaldo also came to the Real Madrid in 2009 with a world-record transfer fee, and then they became teammates in the club for eight years, and another tie is obviously more lasting - in 2007, Pepe was selected to the Portugal national team, After that, he began to "stay together" with Ronaldo for 15 years.

Ronaldo and Pepe's friendship extends beyond their time at Real Madrid. Even after they parted ways, with Ronaldo moving to Juventus and Pepe joining Besiktas and later Porto, their friendship remained intact. Ronaldo and Pepe have an extraordinary friendship that extends far beyond the boundaries of the football field.

At Euro 2008, Pepe and Ronaldo played in the first World Cup, in the group stage match against Poland, Pepe received Nuno - Gomes's assist to break the deadlock for the team in the 61st minute, which was his first goal of the national team career. 7 minutes later, Gomes replaced the field, he gave the captain's armband to Ronaldo, which seems to mean the handover of an era - Ronaldo has become the leader of the Portugal, and Pepe is his most capable "guard".

Fourteen years ago, Portugal was eliminated by Germany in the quarter-finals of the European Cup, and since then the five Shield teams have entered a "dark period". During this period, Pepe and Ronaldo, as the absolute core of the team at both ends of the offense and defense, "depended on each other" and never missed any World Series.

Since 2008, Ronaldo and Pepe have played together in 12 international competitions: the European Championship (2008, 2012, 2016, 2020), the World Cup (2010, 2014, 2018, 2022), the Confederations Cup (2017) and the UEFA Nations League (18-19, 20-21, 22-23). Memorably, they won the European Cup in 2016 and the UEFA Nations League in 2018-19.

Ronaldo Comforts Pepe as Portugal's Veterans Bow Out of Euro 2024

In a nail-biting penalty kick shootout on Friday, France beat Portugal, 5-3, to advance to the semis after the match went scoreless through extra time. In this game, both Ronaldo and Pepe have done their best. As the captain of the team, Ronaldo was the focus of the France team in the whole game, 3 shots 1 shot on the right, missed 1 opportunity, but the penalty shootout, he fulfilled the mission of the first shot to stabilize the overall situation of Portugal.

And Pepe is to lead the back line in the face of Dembele, Mbappe, Thuram and other people in turn impact, stunned to stick to 120 minutes. Pepe celebrated like a child after breaking up a chance for young Thuram to attack. When the final whistle sounded, Portugal star Pepe, 41 tightly hugged  Ronaldo broke out into tears following the loss, crying on his captain’s shoulder. This scene instantly spread across screens around the world, touching countless football enthusiasts. Pepe and Ronaldo are not only teammates of the national team, but also comrades and friends for many years. The two of them fought side by side on the field, experiencing countless victories and failures together, and their friendship and understanding became a legend in the history of Portuguese football.

The more breaking news is  Ronaldo has likely bid adieu to his chances at winning the title at his last European Championship. Also, Pepe is also rumored to retire this season, as the pair made their final exit from the Euro stage.

“We need to go through this moment of our loss, which is very painful,” Pepe said afterward, per the Associated Press.

Legends Never Die: The Timeless Friendship will be Forever Remembered

All in all, the friendship between Ronaldo and Pepe proves that a lasting bond can be formed between teammates. Their bond goes beyond football and is characterised by respect, trust and a genuine concern for each other's well-being. Their friendship is a shining example of the positive impact a strong relationship can have on individuals and teams, both in and out of sports.