Cristiano Ronaldo receives massive support following World Cup breakdown

Cristiano Ronaldo was not afraid to wear his emotions on his sleeve as Portugal was eliminated by Morocco at the 2022 FIFA World Cup quarterfinals in Qatar on Saturday. The five-time Ballon d'Or winner was seen sobbing uncontrollably as he walked back to the dressing room after the final whistle. He has since shared an emotional message on social media which has garnered a ton of support from fellow footballers and fans

On Sunday, Ronaldo shared a photo of himself looking absolutely dejected as he was walking towards the tunnel after Portugal's elimination in what is almost certainly his final World Cup. He started the message by saying that it was his ultimate dream to win the World Cup for his country, something that is now out of reach.

"I fought hard for this dream," he said in the caption. "In the 5 appearances I've marked in World Cups over 16 years, always by the side of great players and supported by millions of Portuguese, I gave my all."

He then confirmed that he does not think that he will be participating in another World Cup for his country. "Sadly yesterday the dream ended," he said before thanking Portugal as well as host country Qatar.

The post has since garnered close to 24 million likes and over a million comments on Instagram. Brazilian legend Pele was among those who praised Ronaldo despite fighting his own battle in the hospital. "Thanks for making us smile, my friend," wrote the former World Cup winner.

PSG star Kylian Mbappe, who is currently helping France defend their 2018 World Cup title, also commented on the post. It is well known that Mbappe idolised Ronaldo since childhood, with a photo of his Ronaldo shrine often being shared across the media. This time, he supported the Portuguese star by using three emoticons: a crown, hands giving thanks and a goat. This reinforces the notion that he feels that the former Real Madrid star is the "greatest of all time."

Ronaldo's former teammates across different clubs also liked the post and shared encouraging comments, including Real Madrid forward Vinicius Jr.

NBA great LeBron James also shared his admiration for the Portugal captain by writing: "Legend."

Ronaldo has endured a tumultuous year and a half with Manchester United, with the situation coming to a head just before the World Cup. The two parties have agreed to part ways, leaving the player without a club and possibly having also played his last match for Portugal. It remains to be seen what he will do in the January transfer window once he gets some time to relax with his family over the Christmas holidays.