"Being at the top for 16-17 years requires a lot of sacrifices" - Inter Milan star says Cristiano Ronaldo must 'always be respected' 

Inter Milan midfielder Hakan Calhanoglu has demanded respect for Cristiano Ronaldo after Portugal's exit from the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

The Portuguese ace was not at his best during the tournament in Qatar. While he scored a penalty against Ghana on the opening matchday, the forward's contribution on the pitch deteriorated as the tournament went on.

Manager Fernando Santos decided to bench him for the Round of 16 clash against Switzerland. A Selecao won that game 6-1 but the former Manchester United failed to contribute to any goals after coming on as a substitute.

Against Morocco in the quarter-final on December 10, Ronaldo came on in the 51st minute after Portugal were already down by a goal.

His introduction provided an initial burst of energy to the Portuguese attack. However, they failed to find an equalizer and were eliminated from the tournament.

It was the 37-year-old's last game of his FIFA World Cup career as he left the field teary-eyed after the defeat.

Nevertheless, his career has been nothing short of phenomenal and his accolades will be hard to match for any player in the future. The Portuguese legend has been one of the best players in the world for close to 16-17 years.

Calhanoglu, a key player for Serie A giants Inter Milan, pointed out the fact. The Turkish midfielder wrote on his Instagram:

“Nothing will change the fact that Cristiano is one of the greatest athletes in history. He should always be respected. Being at the top for 16-17 years requires a lot of sacrifices.”

Ronaldo won the 2016 European Championships with Portugal and the 2019 UEFA Nations League.

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Manchester United looking to sign Cristiano Ronaldo's replacement in January

Morocco v Portugal: Quarter Final - FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022

Ronaldo's career hangs in the balance after Portugal's exit from the 2022 FIFA World Cup. The Portugal captain is currently without a club as well.

His contract with Manchester United was mutually terminated last month following his interview with Piers Morgan and is currently a free agent. A good showing in Qatar would have helped the Portuguese in his bid to secure a move to a top European club.

Manchester United, meanwhile, are already working on signing a replacement for Ronaldo in the January transfer window. Manager Erik ten Hag recently said (via BBC):

"We will do everything in our power [to sign the right player], I cannot give comments on specific players, I will never do that. Players have contracts and I respect that. We are doing research on every opportunity and we do everything we can if that opportunity is there to contract them."