It’s not every day the fall of a petulant, egotistical tyrant is broadcast in real time across the world.

Portugal are saying a midterm goodbye to one of the greatest footballers of all time, their record goalscorer and a national icon. The departure of a player who has inspired his own museum in Madeira ought to be a moment of universal adulation.

Cristiano Ronaldo’s international retirement feels nothing like that.

The summer’s World Cup was his last act of any note. The Portugal side beaten in the last 16 by Spain featured the world’s best left-back and arguably the world’s best midfield of Vitinha, Joao Neves and Bruno Fernandes. At its spearhead was a man born before the fall of the Berlin Wall, whose presence was only slightly less divisive and immobile.

He is now quitting for good, weeks after walking out of camp having not been selected to play against Norway. For that he was banned for 30 days, an utterly pointless penalty given there were no matches to be played in that period anyway. To really put their foot down, the Portuguese Federation then fined him the equivalent of £215, roughly what he earns every 26 seconds while seeing out his twilight years in Saudi Arabia.

There is a saying that if the punishment is a fine, the law only applies to the poor. Normal rules have never applied to Ronaldo full stop. That is his boon and bane. The 41-year-old has defied ageing. He is capable of feats of athleticism unexplained by normal physics.

But it is also what makes the last few years of Ronaldo feel a little Maga. Long before Folarin Balogun, Fifa was suspending two matches of Ronado’s ban for a red card against the Republic of Ireland. He should have missed the opening games of the World Cup.

Instead he was handed an inexplicable reprieve. And for the sake of internal Portuguese politics, Roberto Martinez was denied the chance to play a non-geriatric centre-forward, leaving Ronaldo to frequently take fewer touches than anyone else on the pitch.

There followed a Trumpian obsession with social media ratings and his number of followers, presumably more satisfying metrics than the world record 146 goals and 234 caps.

In his farewell video, seen by millions around the world, he acknowledged that his trophies would one day end up in a museum and his records risk being overtaken – but “there is something that time can never erase: the place we hold in people’s hearts”.

In Portugal, it might be true. Around the world, it is extraordinary that he has managed to sour yet another milestone. Much like his return to Manchester United in 2021, which ended in a bust-up with the then manager Erik ten Hag. Or his debut European Championship of 2004, which ended in literal tears and is mostly recalled for the wink after seeing his United teammate Wayne Rooney sent off for England.

Tomorrow, Portugal are due to name their squad for the fixtures against Denmark and Wales;  it is to be assumed he was not going to be in it.

Under Jorge Jesus, they have finally moved on from their greatest hour, which in the cold light of Ronaldo’s retirement now feels a little surreal. Injured early in the Euro 2016 final against France, he spent the best part of that victory gesticulating on the touchline pretending to be the manager.

The fact he had only played 25 minutes did not stop him going full John Terry, taking centre-stage in the post-match celebrations. The defining image became a stricken Ronaldo, sat on the pitch surrounded by moths, because somebody had left the stadium lights blaring too brightly.

The modern Ronaldo is a dim imitation of the superman – still remembered. But admired, not loved.