Portugal privileged to have 'humble' Ronaldo, says Pepe

Cristiano Ronaldo's hat-trick against Spain came as no surprise to Portugal team-mate Pepe.

Published : Jun 20, 2018 09:47 IST

Portugal defender Pepe labelled it a "privilege" for the nation to have a player like Cristiano Ronaldo, saying the star's start to the World Cup came as no surprise.

Ronaldo stole the show early at the showpiece event in Russia, scoring a hat-trick to lead his side to a 3-3 draw against Spain Friday.

But that display, capped with a stunning 88th-minute free-kick for the equaliser, was unsurprising to Ronaldo's team-mate Pepe.

"To me, it's nothing new," he said Tuesday.

"We had a fantastic match and it was very important the fact that he's so humble on the pitch and working to help the team.

"We are very happy with him and his performance and the performance of the other players. We work with a single goal – to honour our country and our shirt."

Ronaldo's hat-trick saw him move onto 84 international goals, level with Ferenc Puskas for the most by a European.

Pepe, whose team face Morocco Wednesday, said it was an honour to play alongside Ronaldo.

"He's very happy to be with us and he's full of confidence every day, in every match," he said.

"It's a privilege for us, Portugal, to have a player like Cristiano Ronaldo."

 
 
Sign in to unlock all user benefits
  • Get notified on top games and events
  • Save stories to read later
  • Access to comment on every story
  • Sign up / manage to our newsletters with a single click
  • Get notified by email for early bird access to discounts & offers to our products
Sign in

Comments

Comments have to be in English, and in full sentences. They cannot be abusive or personal. Please abide to our community guidelines for posting your comment