Roy Keane gets Celtic flashback as his ultimate Parkhead reality sent to global superstar over future

Roy Keane has dropped his retirement at Celtic into a debate over Cristiano Ronaldo.

The 39-year-old is an icon in football after stints with the likes of Man Utd and Real Madrid. Now in Saudi Arabia with Al-Nassr, the striker’s performances with Portugal at Euro 2024 came under scrutiny. Debate has broken out over how long he can continue and that sparked Keane into thinking Celtic.

After a memorable stint with Man Utd, the midfielder made a move to Celtic, and retired less than a year into his stint. It was due to injury and he made reference to that moment of retirement when talking over Ronaldo’s future. He told Stick to Football: “We go back to it, sports people and about just letting go. With boxers, they want one more fight. No, no, no.

“You know we have all been there when you have these big decisions to make, we have all been there, you come towards the end of your career. You are at a crossroads, aren’t you? Do you stop playing football? Something you have been doing since you were a kid.

“When I stopped. When you make that big decision, it can be a relief. When I stopped playing, I was 34 and as soon as I spoke to Gordon Strachan, and I still had a year left at Celtic, I am not saying I was in the bracket of Ronaldo.

“But when I gave up, and I still thought I could maybe play another year when the body is giving up. You make that decision. I had closure. It was a relief. I had closure straightaway from that phone call.”