Former Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson has reportedly shared details of an emotional conversation with Cristiano Ronaldo after the Portuguese superstar informed him of his decision to retire from international football.

According to the account, Ronaldo personally contacted Ferguson before making the announcement public, explaining that he wanted his former manager to hear the news directly from him.

During their conversation, Ronaldo reportedly spoke about his attachment to Portugal, his family and the difficulty of making such an important decision. He also sought Ferguson's opinion on whether it was the right time to step away from the national team.

Ferguson reminded him that the decision ultimately had to come from within, while praising his contribution to Portuguese football. He highlighted how Ronaldo had inspired generations of young players and given millions of supporters reasons to believe.

However, the conversation also included some humour. Ferguson joked that although Ronaldo could retire from international duty, he should not hang up his boots before reaching the ambitious target of 1,000 career goals.

Ronaldo reportedly laughed at his former manager's familiar instructions.

Ferguson concluded by expressing his pride in the forward and jokingly demanded another phone call when Ronaldo reaches the milestone, adding that he must win the match as well.

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