You are, for me, the greatest of all time – Virat Kohli’s pens down emotional message for Cristiano Ronaldo

After Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal was stunned by Morocco in the quarterfinal of the ongoing FIFA World Cup, messages had galore on social media. Former Indian skipper Virat Kohli also wrote an emotional message for Cristiano Ronaldo, tipping him as the GOAT.

Kohli has always been an admirer of Cristiano Ronaldo for his work ethic and dedication. Meanwhile, this might have been Ronaldo’s last dance at the World Cup as he is already 37.

Ronaldo was benched by Portugal’s gaffer Fernando Santos in the Round of 16 match against Switzerland. Santos then once again decided to play the same team against Morocco. Ronaldo was introduced by Santos in the 51st minute against the African nation but he could not lead his team to a win.

Taking to Instagram, Kohli wrote: “No trophy or any title can take anything away from what you’ve done in this sport and for sports fans around the world. No title can explain the impact you’ve had on people and what I and so many around the world feel when we watch you play.”

He continued: “That’s a gift from God. A real blessing to a man who plays his heart out every single time and is the epitome of hard work and dedication and a true inspiration for any sportsperson. You are, for me, the greatest of all time.”

Earlier, Kohli had lauded Ronaldo’s career longevity and consistency at the top level of football.

Speaking to Dinesh Karthik on Sky Sports, Virat Kohli said: “The thing I admire about him (Ronaldo) is that he has probably had people disregarding a lot of what he has done over the years, and just his mental strength to keep going and being the best in the world.

“I agree Messi has more natural ability, but for this guy to do what he has done day in and day out and to keep that kind of discipline and stay at the top of his game for fifteen years, for me that is the epitome of professionalism and discipline and what mindset can do to an individual. Every time he plays, people know that something special could happen, and that is what I admire about him,” said Kohli.