On 10 December, Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo came on as a substitute.
Doha has been cooling for days, there is no heat wave at the opening of the World Cup, but the air conditioning in the Atuma Stadium is still on, making the sad story of "the twilight hero is difficult to defeat the years" more cool.
Cristiano Ronaldo (C Ronaldo) and the World Cup chapter, after all, has come to the farewell moment.
Portugal are out of the semi-finals of the World Cup in Qatar after losing to Morocco. The moment the referee's final whistle sounded, C Luo covered his face and knelt down, but it was difficult to hide his sadness.
Without a moment's pause, without redundant interaction, he left the field alone, and finally wept in the players' tunnel.The picture of C Luo raising his hand to cover his tearful eyes is like the curtain call of the protagonist in a war drama, generous and solemn.
Before the World Cup, he said: "If I help Portugal win the World Cup, I will retire immediately."
37 years old, the fifth time to participate in the World Cup, the "last dance" declaration said the determination to break the boat, but did not say the export is no longer youth helpless.
In the final game against Morocco, only about 40 minutes as a substitute, Ronaldo touched the ball 10 times but lost the ball five times. A low shot from inside the box in the 91st minute was also easily cleared by Moroccan goalkeeper Bunu. Ronaldo is still on the pitch, but the fans know that his shuffling legs are no longer fast, and the magic that has turned the tide several times is gone.
With the brilliance of the national team's historical record, but also with the loneliness of being a substitute for two consecutive World Cups, C Luo completed his 196 appearances in the Portuguese team and completed his farewell to the World Cup stage.
One turned three thousand miles, one sword once when a million division. Five Ballon d 'Or awards, five Champions League titles, the first total goals in football, fame at Old Trafford, peak in the Bernabeu, once fresh clothes, high-flying C Luo's honor at the club level has been countless.
Despite winning the 2016 European Championship and the first UEFA Nations League Championship in 2019, Ronaldo, who has an extreme obsession with winning, is still the closest to the World Cup in 2006, when he lost in the semi-finals.
From 2006 to 2022, 16 years of five attempts, only the incomplete but also the most shining World Cup, may be completely without C Luo.
Every four years, the World Cup is both charming and cruel. Some say the best Cristiano Ronaldo stayed in Madrid. From the summer of 2018 to choose to transfer to Juventus, and then to return to Manchester United in 2021, C Luo, whose physical function began to decline, gradually fell in the battle with the strong enemy of the years.
Two weeks ago, Cristiano Ronaldo and Manchester United split on bad terms. The breakup wave that was called "betrayal" by C Luo may have too many bizarre words to say, but it can be seen that "no longer needed" is the underlying tragic tone.
After the World Cup, where will Cristiano Ronaldo next stop?
He said that if he wins the World Cup, he will play for another two or three years and retire at the age of 40.
It is not clear where his next club will be, but there is no doubt that the name Cristiano Ronaldo will continue to tug at the heartstrings of fans around the world.
When the No. 7 legend says goodbye to the football field, how should we say goodbye?
