'I was Cristiano Ronaldo's team-mate - now I work on a building site'

Imagine being celebrated as one of your country's brightest young prospects, earning a transfer to Juventus and sharing a dressing room with Cristiano Ronaldo. For Cendrim Kameraj, this wasn't a dream - it was reality. But fate had a different script in mind.

A series of brutal cruciate ligament tears crushed his ambitions, forcing him to retire at an age when most footballers are just beginning to peak. Now, at 26, he's rebuilding his world away from the stadium lights, working within the construction industry. The Swiss-Kosovar recently gained viral attention after photos surfaced of him laying bricks on a construction site - only six years after standing alongside one of the sport's all-time greats. "Life changes sometimes," Kameraj reflected in a heartfelt TikTok video, pairing an image of himself with Ronaldo beside another of him at a building site.

As a standout youth player in Switzerland, Kameraj drew the attention of top scouts and in 2017 he secured a move to Italian giants Juventus in his late teens. "When the offer from Juve came, it was like a dream," he told gianlucadimarzio.com. "Honestly, at first I couldn't believe it. I felt proud, excited and even a little nervous because I knew it would be a huge step."

At Juventus, he represented the Primavera (U19) and Next Gen (U23) squads, fully immersed in the demanding environment of elite football. The most unforgettable part? Sharing the same training ground with some of the world's top players - particularly Ronaldo.

"It was surreal, something special," Kameraj said, noting that Ronaldo's presence was transformative: "His energy pushed everyone to give more. What struck me most was his mentality. He never stopped, and he constantly demanded more from himself and those around him. He once told me, 'Talent means nothing without consistency and hard work,' and that phrase stuck with me."

For about a season and a half, life in Turin felt like heaven - a breeding ground for promising stars where Kameraj continued to polish his game among the best. But the dream quickly unraveled.

The first ACL rupture hit him like lightning, putting him out for months and testing his resilience. Rehabilitation was exhausting, yet he kept going. Then came the second tear - and not long after, a third. Each setback deepened the strain, both mentally and physically, turning simple training into agony and matches into distant hopes.

Endless recovery periods stole his rhythm while his teammates advanced, gaining experience at one of Europe's biggest clubs - and after two years of frustration, Kameraj chose to start over and seek a new team.

"It wasn't easy [to leave Juventus]," he said. "I had injuries and felt I needed a fresh start, somewhere I could play more and rebuild myself. Juventus gave me so much, but sometimes you have to take a step back in order to move forward."

He tried to reignite his career back home in Switzerland and later in Kosovo, but his body wouldn't cooperate. By 25, it was clear - his professional football chapter had ended. "It was heartbreaking [to have to retire]," he admitted.

"Football had been my identity since I was a child, and for a long time, I didn't know who I was without it. Without the injuries, I could have gone far. I was on the right track and felt I was improving season after season."

Looking back, Kameraj says he carries no bitterness. "Perhaps I could have been more patient, or listened to my body sooner. But I don't blame myself. I did what I thought was right at the time. Regret doesn't change the past," he insisted.

"I don't like living with 'what if'. I gave everything I had, and that's what matters. With time, I found peace. I realised that life doesn't end when your sporting career ends."

Although his viral photo shows him wearing a hard hat, Kameraj isn't actually a bricklayer. He now works as a consultant for a company focused on recruitment within the construction sector. The bricklaying experience was a one-day assignment organized by his boss.

"I work in the office at ICM Bau, and our boss wanted us to spend a day on a building site to understand what the work is like there and how hard it can be," he said. "It made us appreciate even more how lucky we are to work behind a desk."

These days, Kameraj looks toward the future with renewed hope, possibly even considering a football-related return. "Maybe one day I'll return to football in another role, perhaps coaching young players and helping them avoid the mistakes I made," he explained. "But even outside of football, I just want to build a good life for myself, be happy and stay true to myself."

Though moments of regret still linger, pride ultimately dominates when Kameraj reflects on his story. "I can honestly say that I am proud of myself," he added. "Very few people get that far, and I have experienced and achieved things that many can only dream of. Even though things didn't go exactly as I wanted, I know I gave it my all, and that fills me with pride and gratitude."