A former teammate of Cristiano Ronaldo has shocked fans after giving up football to work in construction following a heartbreaking run of injuries.
Cendrim Kameraj, once part of Juventus’ academy, trained alongside Ronaldo, Gonzalo Higuaín and Paulo Dybala during his time in Turin between 2017 and 2019.
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The Swiss-born full-back was even tipped for a senior debut before a string of serious cruciate ligament injuries ended his professional dreams.
After leaving Kosovo side KF Dukagjini with just 17 appearances in three seasons, Kameraj officially hung up his boots in 2025 aged 26.
His decision came after years of battling injuries that halted his once-promising career.
From Juventus Hopeful to Construction Worker
Now, Kameraj has traded football boots for a hard hat, working with Swiss construction firm ICM Bau AG.
He recently went viral after posting a TikTok comparing his days with Ronaldo at Juventus to his new life on a worksite, captioned: “Life changes sometimes.”
The video, viewed over 12 million times, drew emotional reactions from fans around the world, reports Give Me Sport.
Speaking to Gianluca Di Marzio, Kameraj said the experience made him appreciate hard work and value life beyond football.
Kameraj credited Ronaldo’s mentality as a major influence, recalling the superstar’s words: “Talent means nothing without consistency and hard work.”
Despite his early retirement, Kameraj hasn’t given up on football entirely — he’s begun coaching youth players and dreams of returning to the game one day, this time from the touchline.
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