Father's Day in June is still a month away, but Figo receives an early gift – a two-year, €12 million contract. Pen % fun % Pavilion www.biquge.info

The Portuguese is offered the contract by Saudi giants Al-Ittihad, and given the 34-year-old, the contract essentially means that Figo will spend the last two years of his career as a retirement.

In recent years, the emerging Gulf Nations League, led by Saudi Arabia and Qatar, always likes to use a lot of money to "collect" some outdated stars, from Barty to Effenberg, from Caron to Job, a number of European big-name players have chosen to come to Saudi Arabia and Qatar to pan for gold in the late career.

These Gulf states have been paid high salaries while also receiving some rewards for their achievements. In the AFC Champions League two years ago, Etihad, who has two African foreign players, Caron and Jobu, slaughtered Shandong Luneng 7:2 at home and won the AFC Champions League that year.

It is reported that the Etihad signed Figo with a lot of money this time is still related to the AFC Champions League. As a domestic giant, Al-Ittihad missed out on winning the Saudi league and cup this year, and was eliminated by Syria's Karamah in the quarterfinals of the AFC Champions League in October, disqualifying for the 2007 AFC Champions League.

In order to reach the 2008 AFC Champions League, Etihad decided to bring in Figo to increase the strength of the team. On top of that, they will bring Caron back next year, and with the addition of Mexico international Borgetti, Ittihad forms a formidable attacking trident.

Figo's contract with Blackburn expires at the end of the season, so Figo's departure will not give Blackburn the slightest transfer fee.

After announcing his move to the Etihad, Figo officially announced his retirement from the Portuguese national team. The representative of the "golden generation" played for Portugal in 12 years, making 110 appearances and scoring 31 goals. Figo currently holds the record for the highest number of appearances for the Portuguese national team along with Cuto.

After Figo's announcement of his retirement from the national team, the pressure on Ronaldo's shoulders has been even greater, as he has always been considered Figo's best successor to the Portuguese national team, and the Blackburn Rovers star seems to have picked up the burden.

With the departures of Deco, Mourinho and Figo, Blackburn's Portuguese gang no longer exists, but Ronaldo doesn't care.

In an interview with the Portuguese newspaper Ball, Ronaldo said: "The Portuguese gang? No, there are no gangs at Blackburn Rovers and the only thought in my mind is to be the best footballer in the world, which is one of my goals in life. There is nothing difficult in the world, as long as you are willing to climb. I will go the extra mile to achieve this. ”

The 21-year-old winger played with Portugal at the 2006 World Cup in Germany and played the full game against hosts Germany for third and fourth place. The World Cup experience has also made Ronaldo more mature, and he hopes to surpass the brilliant results of his predecessor Figo, who confirmed his transfer at the end of the season, to become the best in the world.

Ronaldo continued: "I'm more mature and more confident now. The World Cup has given me a valuable experience. I still have some goals that have not been fully achieved. Figo has had an illustrious career and he is a symbol of Portuguese football. Even if he's not one of the best footballers in the world, he's at least a great star. In addition, the likes of Eusebio, Rui Costa and Couto have set good examples for young players. ”

Cristiano Ronaldo also expressed his vision for the future: "I hope that I can go as far as I can, that I can win as many titles as I can, and that image can be established in world football, and that image will last for at least many years." If a career can be as brilliant as Figo's, it will be exciting. But my goal is even more ambitious, I want to surpass Figo! I have that confidence. ”

Figo is not the only veteran who has announced his departure from Blackburn Rovers at the end of the season, the other two being Larsson and Barthez.

Speaking to a Swedish media outlet in a press conference ahead of the 38th round of the league, Larsson said he did not want to extend his contract with Blackburn Rovers, and that the soon-to-be-36-year-old Swede wants to return to Helsingborg in Sweden when his contract expires at the end of the season.

In next week's FA Cup final, Larsson travels to Wembley with Blackburn. However, regardless of whether he can play or not, Larsson is ready to return to play in Sweden after his contract ends.

"Yes, I want to go back to playing at home," Larsson said, "I'm only 36 years old and I think I can play more. ”

Larsson has scored three goals in just nine games for Blackburn this season, making him the first time since joining Blackburn Rovers that he has made less than double figures in a single season. In order to be able to continue his career instead of sitting on the bench at Blackburn, Larsson politely turned down Arthur's personal offer of pension contract, opting to return to his hometown team and play to his spare time.

Compared with Figo and Larsson, the French goalkeeper Barthez made the decision to hang up his boots at the end of the season.

Back a week ago, in an interview with a French television station, the bald doorman Barthez announced his decision to retire.

Barthez, who was the same year as Larsson, has won an accolade that most professional players have come to chance, and AFP has praised the French veteran for having a colourful career. In 1998, Barthez won the World Cup with France. Then, at Domenech's insistence, Barthez replaced the younger, more in-form Coupe as France's main goalkeeper at the 2006 World Cup.

The last two rounds of the Premier League season were Barthez's last official appearances and the curtain call for the "Butter Hands".

Last Thursday, in an interview with French television channel TF1, Barthez said firmly: "My story with football is over. Now I'm going to continue to do things that make me happy, like I've been doing since I was 15, but now it's not going to be with football, I'm going to start my new life. ”

However, Barthez's career has not always been accompanied by glory. In February 2005, Barthez was banned for six months for spitting on the referee during a match between Marseille and Morocco's WYDAD, which led him to move to Blackburn Rovers as a free agent.

Barthez is used to all of this, saying: "Real life can't always be exciting, it's like any sporting career, there are injuries, there are important experiences, but you have to take advantage of the situation. ”

Compared with Figo, Larsson and Barthez's independent choice, Sun Jihai's departure statement felt a little swept away.

After a last-round win over Manchester City, Sun Jihai played the full league game for the first time this season. But such a performance may not have brought a good mood to Sun Jihai, according to the latest reports from the British media, Sun Jihai has been told that he is not in the team's future plans, and it is likely that he will soon be the target of purge.

Due to the addition of new signing McCone this season, Sun Jihai, who originally shared the playing time of right-back with Finnan, has completely become a marginal member of the team, only making 14 appearances for Blackburn Rovers throughout the season, and even in many key battles, Sun Jihai not only failed to get the opportunity to play, but was even excluded from the 16-man squad in a row.

In response to this cold reception, many Blackburn fans have thought that even if Sun Jihai is particularly favored by the team's owner Arthur, he can only be abandoned by the club.

This speculation was quickly confirmed by the media, and in the latest issue of the Sunday Mirror, a report was published titled "Lippi is too ruthless".

The main focus of the report was another Blackburn player's complaint against Lippi, with the Argentina international told it would be difficult to get a chance to play in the future. The report also mentioned that in addition to Heinze, there were five other players in Blackburn's squad who were also told that they were not in Lippi's plans, and Sun Jihai's name appeared in the last of them.

Although the Sunday Mirror did not focus on Sun Jihai, the news of the latter's imminent departure attracted the attention of other media outlets. The famous British "Football Tribe" website immediately reported the news that the Chinese international will no longer be a member of Blackburn Rovers under the headline "Sun Jihai is already outside Blackburn".

For Sun Jihai, this is not too unexpected a result. Since the new Lippi took over Blackburn, the Silver Foxes have been more keen to bring in foreign players from Brazil or Italy, and Sun Jihai's previous statement of willingness to retire at Blackburn Rovers has not received a positive response.

In recent games, it has been the Brazilian McCone who has appeared in Blackburn's right wing-back position, in addition to Sun Jihai's equally competent midfield position, although in the midfield position, Blackburn already have Claude Makelele, Cambiasso, Alonso and Ballack.

Such a severe competitive situation makes it difficult for Sun Jihai to get ahead in Blackburn.

Judging from all aspects, Sun Jihai's time to stay at Blackburn may have entered the countdown. Until the transfer window closes on August 31, there has been a possibility that he will be traded.

If he stays in the Premier League, then Manchester City, who have just beaten him, may be the most likely place for him.

If he is unable to make it to Manchester City in the end, then Sun Jihai may have a hard time finding other Premier League teams willing to take him in. For him, it was either "condescending" to join an English side in the lower leagues, or going to other European leagues to seek development. In addition, it is not ruled out that Sun Jihai will eventually return to play in China.

Regardless of Sun's head, for the four outgoing veterans, the FA Cup final on 17 May will be their last honour at Blackburn. (To be continued.) )