Khabib Nurmagomedov says Cristiano Ronaldo is 'the best of the best' after Portugal retirement

Ronaldo, 41, quit international football after a 30-day suspension over a dispute with Portugal's new head coach, Jorge Jesus.

By Combat Sports UK Staff · Published Sat 7 Nov, 19:43 UK · AI-assisted reporting

Khabib Nurmagomedov on Cristiano Ronaldo: the best of the best — Original graphic: Combat Sports UK

Khabib Nurmagomedov has hailed Cristiano Ronaldo as one of "the best of the best" after the 41-year-old retired from international football, and said it is hard to describe "how he's been treated by the teams he gave his all to".

The former UFC lightweight champion, a close friend of Ronaldo, paid tribute to him on Instagram in a message quoted by MMA Mania.

"When you give it your all, you become obsolete," Nurmagomedov wrote. "There are the best ones, and there are the best of the best. Ronaldo belongs among the best of the best. It's hard to understand the mentality of giants like him. It's hard to describe in words what he has done for football, just as it's hard to describe how he's been treated by the teams he gave his all to."

Ronaldo announced his retirement from Portugal duty this week after he was handed a 30-day suspension over a dispute with the national team's new head coach, Jorge Jesus.

"The day has come for me to hand back the No. 7 shirt of our national team," Ronaldo said in a five-minute retirement video. "I never felt it belonged to me alone, but for 23 years I had the privilege and the responsibility of wearing it, defending it and carrying it with me into stadiums all around the world."

Nurmagomedov and Ronaldo have been filmed swapping gifts and calling each other "bro".