The 33-year-old last played for New Zealand in 2018 and debuted for his adopted country in the home T20 series against Canada last month
The 2022 edition of the Fifa World Cup has been touted by many as one of the most unpredictable tournaments as compared to the previous editions.
Underrated teams shone throughout the tournament, eliminating the top brass — Spain, Germany, Brazil, the Netherlands, and most recently, Portugal, who were defeated 1-0 by Morocco at the Al Thumama Stadium, last Saturday.
These losses have a greater impact on the veteran players looking to secure their last World Cup trophy before their retirement from international football.
Portuguese star Cristiano Ronaldo is the latest victim of this loss, after being benched for most of the game, rendering him unable to make a significant dent in the Moroccan armour. As a result, the 37-year-old — who has most likely played his last appearance internationally — was pictured in a heartbreaking image, with his head buried in his hands.
Notably, he received support from various corners of the sporting world, as well as from the hordes of CR7 fans concerned about his mental health.
Indian cricketer Virat Kohli recently penned two wonderful tweets in support of the distraught footballer, calling him the "greatest of all time".
"No trophy or any title can take anything away from what you’ve done in this sport and for sports fans around the world. No title can explain the impact you’ve had on people and what I and so many around the world feel when we watch you play. That’s a gift from god."
He then followed this up with another tweet.
"A real blessing to a man who plays his heart out every single time and is the epitome of hard work and dedication and a true inspiration for any sportsperson. You are for me the greatest of all time."
Meanwhile, Morocco — the first African nation to play in the semi-finals of football's greatest tournament — will face 2018's defending champions France on Wednesday. This match comes after Argentina's face-off with 2018's runners-up Croatia on Tuesday.
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