JAKARTA: An Indonesian tsunami survivor and Cristiano Ronaldo protege has been forced to take a break from his football career over a knee injury, he told AFP on Tuesday.
Nineteen-year-old Martunis, sometimes described as Ronaldo’s “adopted son”, said he was quitting Java-based PS TNI to return to his home province of Aceh.
Martunis, then aged seven, was found alone and wearing a Portugal shirt on a beach days after the quake-triggered 2004 tsunami ravaged Aceh.
Images of the boy, whose siblings and mother were killed in the disaster, prompted Ronaldo to travel to Aceh to meet him in 2005.
The pair have met several times since and in 2015 Martunis joined the Sporting Lisbon academy, where Real Madrid superstar Ronaldo’s career began.
On his return to Indonesia last year, Martunis, who like many Indonesians goes by one name, joined the under-21 side of Java-based club PS TNI, which plays in the country’s main football championship.
Chairman PCB Mohsin Naqvi unveiled the Inter-College Ramadan T20 Cup 2024 trophy at Gaddafi Stadium, Lahoreon March...
Inter Miami's Argentine forward Lionel Messi seen in this undated photo. — AFP/File MIAMI: Lionel Messi will not...
Pakistan football player Fareedullah seen in this undated photo.—Instagram@fareed_ullah_officialISLAMABAD: National...
Sunrisers Hyderabad player Heinrich Klaasen seen in this undated photo.—AFP/File MUMBAI: Mumbai Indians missed a...
Aussie players Ashton Agar and Marcus Stoinis seen in this collage.—AFP/FileMELBOURNE: All-rounder Marcus Stoinis...
Pakistan Palyer Usama Mir seen running in this undated photo.—PCB/File LAHORE: The Pakistan Cricket Board has...