He Played With Ronaldo, and Now He Works in Construction
Careers in top European football often hinge on physical durability as much as ability. Many talented youth internationals fall short of long senior careers when repeated injuries affect speed, confidence, and recovery. One former Juventus player encountered that reality early on, and his path after football shows how quickly the game can move on from even its most promising names.
The Juventus Years And Elite Environment Pressure
Cendrim Kameraj spent time on Juventus’ books between 2017 and 2019. That timeline placed him inside one of Europe’s most intense professional environments during Cristiano Ronaldo’s peak Juventus period. Ronaldo scored 101 goals in 134 appearances for the club, while winning two Serie A titles and a Coppa Italia. Training sessions at that level operate close to match intensity, and younger squad members often measure progress daily against global stars.
Kameraj mainly played youth or fringe-level football during that period. He logged 23 youth appearances and worked to push toward senior match minutes. Before Juventus, he built a solid youth international resume. He represented Switzerland at the youth level and also connected with the Kosovo youth national teams. One memorable moment came in 2015 when he scored twice in a 3-2 youth international win against England at St George’s Park.
Injuries That Changed His Entire Trajectory
Anterior cruciate ligament injuries remain one of football’s biggest career disruptors. Medical data shows recovery often takes 6 to 12 months, and repeated damage raises re-injury risk. Kameraj suffered three separate ACL injuries during his development years. That level of repeated trauma creates long recovery gaps and forces players to rebuild muscle strength again and again.
After leaving Juventus, he played limited senior football across Switzerland and Kosovo, including time with KF Dukagjini. Across several seasons, he managed roughly a couple of dozen senior league appearances. For a player once tipped as a future top-level defender, those numbers show how quickly momentum can disappear after repeated knee trauma.
Retirement arrived in his mid-20s, an age when many defenders normally hit physical prime years, and that timing forced a complete identity reset. He later explained that football had shaped his entire life structure, which made stepping away emotionally difficult at first.
The Moment That Changed Public Perception
Image via TikTok/cendrimkameraj
The story gained popularity after a TikTok post contrasted two realities. One clip showed him alongside Ronaldo in Juventus training gear, and the next showed him wearing a hard hat at a construction site. The caption carried a simple message about life changes, and it spread quickly.
His current role connects to ICM Bau AG, a company involved in construction recruitment and consulting. He mainly works office side but occasionally visits active work sites. One viral selfie was taken during a company initiative that required staff to spend time on-site to better understand the physical demands of the job.
Despite limited match overlap, proximity to training sessions allowed direct interaction with Cristiano Ronaldo. Kameraj has spoken publicly about Ronaldo’s daily standards. He mentioned discipline, recovery routines, and constant performance pressure. One message stayed with him: talent means little without consistency and work ethic.