A former teammate of Cristiano Ronaldo caused a sensation online after being seen working at a building site.
Cendrim Kameraj, who once played for Juventus, shared the pitch with the Portuguese superstar Cristiano Ronaldo. The 26-year-old was once a promising young talent, representing both Kosovo's U team and Switzerland.
Seven years ago, he trained alongside legends like Ronaldo and Gianluigi Buffon wearing the “Old Lady of Turin” jersey. However, Kameraj’s career ended prematurely after three ACL injuries, forcing him to return to his homeland Kosovo.
In the final stage of his playing career, the defender played for KF Dukagjini in Kosovo’s top league. But now, he has taken a completely different path, moving from the football field to construction work to start a new chapter in life.
Kameraj is currently employed by a recruitment company specializing in construction called ICM Bau AG. His job often takes him to various construction sites, and a photo taken there unexpectedly went viral, catching the attention of football fans everywhere.
Talking about the viral moment, Kameraj said: “I had to spend a day on the construction site to shoot a video project. That’s when I took this selfie.”
Although retired, Kameraj hasn’t completely left football behind. He has begun a coaching career with a youth team: “I’m grateful for everything I experienced during my career. It would be a shame to waste all that knowledge and insight,” he said.
The former Juventus player added: “I became a father, and that changed all my life priorities. After two serious injuries like those, I realized I wasn’t the same player anymore. I couldn’t play freely; fear was always there. I even hated football so much that I didn’t want to know anything about it, not even watch matches on TV.”
During his time at Juventus, Kameraj shared a famous photo with Cristiano Ronaldo that went viral with millions of views. He described the Portuguese star as “humble and approachable” despite his immense fame.
“With Cristiano Ronaldo, you can clearly see why he reached the top today. His discipline and work ethic surpass everyone else. Ronaldo was always very friendly and even joked around with me. It was a special feeling to hear Ronaldo call my name,” Kameraj shared.