Airline withdraws 7C in honor of Cristiano Ronaldo

Athe 41 years old, Cristiano Ronaldo made public the decision to renounce the main selection of Portugal, just over a month after the 'disacute' with Jorge Jesus, which originated the abandonment of concentration motivated by the dispute of the League of Nations group phase. That decision didn't leave anyone indifferent.

In fact, the ‘replications’ made themselves felt, including... in the aviation world, in such a way that, this Friday, the low-cost Dutch company Transavia announced the withdrawal of place 7C, on all flights to Funchal: “CR7 hangs the boots, and our seats with number 7C were also removed from our flights to Funchal”.

It is, in this way, a gesture of homage to that which is unanimously recognized as one of the best players in the history of football, not only Portuguese, but also worldwide, whose main objective is, at this moment, to become the first ever to achieve the 1,000 goals in the career, with only 16 to get there.

A ‘battle’ that, given the end of the international career, will be carried out exclusively at the service of Al Nassr, a club with which he renewed his contract half a year ago, until June 2027. It remains, then, to realize whether the Madeiran will continue to ‘give cards’, on the lawns, or, instead, will definitely abandon football.

Ryanair was not so ‘sweet’

Interestingly, on the eve another low cost airline had used social networks to refer to international withdrawal Cristiano Ronaldo. In this case, Irish Ryanair, which ended up taking a much more corrosive stance compared to the one that adopted Transavia in this chapter.

“Finally”, he wrote, in a form of provocation, in response to a publication in which Fabrizio Romano, an Italian journalist specializing in issues related to the transfer market, took account of the decision of the advanced graduate in Sporting, in a gesture that eventually generated thousands of interactions.

Cristiano Ronaldo's farewell letter

To the Portuguese, the day came to return the shirt 7 of the selection of all of us. I've never felt it as exclusively mine. But for 23 years I had the privilege and responsibility to dress her up, to defend her and to take her with me to stadiums in a whole world. Today is the time to deliver to the future. It wasn't an easy decision, because there are decisions you can't just make with your head. They are also taken with the heart.

Ends a walk that began in August 2003 and changed my life forever. When I look back and think of everything I've lived through in the selection, I don't just see games, goals, records or trophies. I see people. I see immigrants who, for 90 minutes, felt Portugal a little closer. I see millions of Portuguese people I've never met personally, but who were part of my life. Because in the end, football is much bigger than a game. Football is people.

All my career on the team, I've tried to cross my limits. I wanted to win, I wanted to be the best, I wanted to make history. I've always been picky with myself. I've always wanted more, I've always believed we could get further. And I gave everything I had for this sweater. There have been perfect afternoons and nights, there have been victories I will never forget, there have been defeats that I still have a hard time remembering. I also failed, I also suffered, there were times when I was not able to give the Portuguese what they wanted so much. But I never gave up. And most of all, I never stopped being proud of representing Portugal.

Over the years I've learned very simple things. The goals pass, the glasses stay in the museums, the records end up being beaten. But there is something that time can never erase, the place we occupy in people's hearts. If I ever made you happy, if a goal of mine ever made you embrace someone, forget a concern or feel proud in our country, then it was all worth it. Because that's what being Portuguese is all about. We suffer together, we rise together. We believe again.

Portugal will always need young people who dream of it, players who never give up, new generations who believe that it is possible to get where no one has come. Because a country that continues to create new heroes is a country that never ceases to believe in itself.

To my companions of this selection, I want to leave a special word. Thank you for every race, for every hug, for every discussion, for every silence before entering the field. For every victory we celebrate together and every defeat that has made us stronger. I had the privilege of being your captain. But no captain walks alone. And you're part of my story.

To all the coaches, managers, doctors, physiotherapists, wardrobes, staff and so many people who have worked with me over the years, my thanks. Many of you never appeared in the photographs. But without you, none of these pictures would have been possible.

Thank you for sharing this dream with me. Thank you for understanding the absences, sacrifices and the moments when the selection had to occupy a space that also belonged to you. If I've come this far, it's because we've always held hands.

And to the Portuguese, to all the Portuguese around the world, I want to tell you one last thing. There's an image I'll always take with me. The moment the national anthem begins. I look around, I see my companions, I see the stands, I see children, mothers, fathers and grandparents. I see Portuguese people who have come so far just to be there. And during those minutes, we stopped being different. There are no clubs, there are no colors, there are no classes, there are no professions, there are no opinions. There is only one passion, Portugal.

That's the feeling I'll take with me for the rest of my life. Today ends my walk within the field with the national selection, leaves with a head raised, with pride in the way I did and with the awareness that I gave everything I had for Portugal. But I will never cease to be one of you, I will continue to suffer, vibrate and celebrate every victory of Portugal with Sim.

I spent my life working to be the best player in the world. Today I realize that the greatest victory was to have deserved to represent the best country in the world. Thank you for these 23 years. Thank you for believing me. Thank you for allowing me to live a dream that started when I was just a boy in Madeira, chasing after a ball. Shirt 7 stays, the pride of wearing it will be mine forever. Portugal will always be in me. Until forever, Cristiano Ronaldo.”