Locked in a tearful embrace after suffering penalty shootout heartbreak in the Euro 2024 quarter-finals, two iconic figures of Portuguese football departed the international stage for perhaps the final time.
Cristiano Ronaldo and his long-time colleague Pepe - who won Euro 2016 together and served several years in tandem at Real Madrid - had experienced very different tournaments on a personal level.
With only one team to be crowned European champions, it was always likely to end in defeat for the Selecao's veteran record-breakers - so will such a cruel loss now mark the end of both players' Portugal career?
Roberto Martinez claims that no decisions have been made in the aftermath of his team's painful exit, but with the two men straddling the 40-year mark, questions must be asked about whether they can continue until the next World Cup.
So, if Ronaldo and Pepe are to finally wave goodbye, who could possibly step into their shoes as part of Portugal's journey towards 2026?
Here, Sports Mole weighs up what the future holds for both players - and just who will replace them.
Cristiano Ronaldo: time to retire
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Appearing at a record sixth European Championship finals, Cristiano Ronaldo began Euro 2024 as Portugal's undisputed starter up front, having apparently re-found his form in qualifying.
Despite a frustrating tournament for the 39-year-old, Martinez did not see fit to bench his influential captain, who played every minute of both the last-16 win over Slovenia and the quarter-final loss to France.
The Al-Nassr striker attempted more shots than any other player but scored no goals, wasted several free kicks, and was reduced to tears after missing an extra-time penalty against Slovenia.
Though he subsequently executed superb spot-kicks in both penalty shootouts, the general consensus outside of the pro-Cristiano online echo chamber is that he has finally reached the end of the line.
Even former colleagues have begun to call on Ronaldo to step down, having nothing left to prove after etching his name into history as football's top international goalscorer.
Following a first major tournament in which he has failed to find the net, surely Martinez and his management team must act in the interest of the Selecao's future prospects.
Pepe's fitting farewell
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When Pepe joined his fellow veteran in the starting lineup for Portugal's opener against the Czech Republic, at the age of 41 and 113 days he became the oldest player in Euros history.
While, in contrast to Ronaldo, the wily defender went on to experience an excellent tournament personally, it was the Brazil-born star who needed consoling when the pair shared an emotional embrace after Friday's gut-wrenching defeat.
Pepe was in tears this time, following surely his final appearance for the Selecao after 141 caps, which featured several crucial interventions to stop France winning before the game ultimately went to spot kicks.
Martinez refused to effectively retire one of the best defenders of his generation during the post-match briefing, but any prospect of a 43-year-old Pepe turning out at the next World Cup seems exceptionally slim.
Time for the next generation to shine?
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Due to the extraordinary longevity of both players, Ronaldo and Pepe have consistently seen off challengers to their place in Portugal's starting XI, but a handful of younger men stand to benefit should either decide to finally call it quits.
Antonio Silva stepped in for the latter when Martinez rested several stars against Georgia, with the Selecao already confirming top spot in their group by taking six points from the first two matches.
The 20-year-old, who has 13 senior caps to his name despite being barely out of his teens, erred twice in a shock 2-0 defeat to the rank outsiders - essentially setting up Khvicha Kvaratskhelia's opening goal with a slack pass and then conceding a penalty for handball - but is still considered Pepe's likeliest heir.
Already a mainstay for Benfica, and on the radar of Europe's top clubs, Silva could go on to partner Ruben Dias at the heart of Portugal's defence for many years to come - though he is not uncontested in that ambition.
Goncalo Inacio also featured in the loss to Georgia, and having beaten his teammate to the Portuguese title last term, the talented Sporting CP centre-back will also be part of the picture.
The 22-year-old product of Sporting's fabled academy scored his first and second international goals in a 9-0 thumping of Luxembourg that set a new benchmark for Portugal's biggest win ever, and he is often acclaimed for his anticipation and composure under pressure.
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Replacing the Selecao's inimitable number seven, though, will put far more weight on his successor's shoulders, as Ronaldo's departure would leave a huge void at the heart of a squad built simply to serve him for well over a decade.
A sensation was caused when former boss Fernando Santos started Goncalo Ramos ahead of Cristiano in Portugal's last-16 clash with Switzerland at the last World Cup, but the then-Benfica striker scored a hat-trick and laid on an assist in a swashbuckling 6-1 success.
Ramos has since failed to fully realise his potential, and his subsequent switch to Paris Saint-Germain is yet to pay off, but at the age of just 23 he has plenty of time to improve.
Having watched on from the bench as Ronaldo's Euro 2024 melodrama unfolded over five fruitless games, he heads the queue to provide Portugal's focal point on the road towards 2026.
Another contender, who once promised to form a productive pairing with Ronaldo, Andre Silva's star has waned over recent years. However, the RB Leipzig forward may still re-find top form and push his way into the reckoning too.
Perhaps Portugal's most fluent performance of the Martinez era holds the key to their future: Diogo Jota thrived while supporting Ramos in that ruthless destruction of Luxembourg.
The versatile Liverpool star can also operate as a 'false nine', linking up with left-winger Rafael Leao, so sharing the burden of replacing Ronaldo may be the way forward if CR7 decides to step aside.
Jonathan O'Shea
