Super Eagles defender hails Pepe as Portuguese defender ends 23-year professional football career

Nigeria and Porto left-back, Zaidu Sanusi, celebrated with former Real Madrid defender, Pepe, after the Portuguese announced his retirement from professional football, Soccernet.ng reports.

Képler Laveran Lima Ferreira, popularly called ‘Pepe’, started his football career with Portuguese side, Maritimo in the 2001/2022 season. He went on to play 63 games for Os Verde-Rubros before heading to Porto in the summer of 2005.

After two years with the Dragons, Pepe joined Spanish giants, Real Madrid, where he went on to spend a decade, winning three UEFA Champions League titles, two FIFA Club World Cups, two UEFA Super Cups, and three La Liga trophies, amongst many others.

A spirited performance in the heart of the Portuguese defence alongside Jose Fonte saw Pepe lift the Euro 2016 trophy in France as the team’s assistant captain, with Cristiano Ronaldo leading the frontline. The pair also won the UEFA Nations League in 2019.

Following a brief stint in Besiktas after leaving Real Madrid, Pepe returned to Porto, who then signed Zaidu Sanusi a year later. The Nigerian wing-back shared the pitch with the Portuguese 87 times.

When they played together, Porto won 59 games, drew 12, and lost 16, averaging 2.17 points per game. They also won the Portuguese League, the Portuguese League Cup, and the Portuguese Super Cup together.

Following Pepe’s retirement, Sanusi took to his social media page to appreciate the legend who bowed out after playing 878 career games, scoring 50 goals and providing 36 assists in that time.

A 41-year-old Pepe was arguably Portugal’s player at the EURO 2024 tournament in Germany, putting in a heck of a defensive shift from the back as Martinez’s team bowed out in the quarter-finals. He was heartbroken after his side lost to France in the penalty shoot-out, sobbing into Cristiano Ronaldo’s arms.

Zaidu Sanusi was a regular for Nigeria at the AFCON 2023 tournament but wasn’t able to feature for his club side after the tournament as he suffered a cruciate ligament tear in his left knee. He’s yet to return to full fitness.