Portugal’s Ronaldo announces international retirement

Cristiano Ronaldo said on Thursday he was retiring from the Portugal team, bringing the curtain down on one of the most illustrious international careers in the history of football. The 41-year-old announced that the time had come to “hand back the number 7 shirt”, ending his international career. Ronaldo captained Portugal to their first major trophy at Euro 2016 and helped them win the 2019 and 2025 Nations Leagues. “It was not an easy decision, because there are decisions that are not made only with the head. They are also made with the heart,” Ronaldo said on social media. “If I ever made you happy, if one of my goals ever made you hug someone, forget a worry or feel proud of our country, then it was all worth it.” Ronaldo thanked his family, the Portuguese people and the teammates, coaches and staff he worked with over his 23-year career with the national team. “Portugal will always be a part of me,” he captioned the announcement video. Ronaldo made 234 appearances for Portugal and scored 146 goals. He holds the men’s all-time record for international appearances and for international goals. A five-time Ballon d’Or winner, Ronaldo is the first player to score in six different editions of the World Cup, the first coming in 2006. His final international tournament appearance was at the 2026 World Cup, where he tried to win the one major trophy that has eluded him. Portugal exited in the last 16 with a 1-0 loss to eventual champions and Iberian rivals Spain. Ronaldo did, however, join Argentina’s Lionel Messi as the only men to feature at six World Cups, another of the international records held by the Al-Nassr forward. RONALDO APOLOGY Ronaldo left the Portugal camp at the end of September ahead of their Nations League match against Denmark without permission and did not return. He later cited broken promises from manager Jorge Jesus as the reason for his departure. Jesus denied making any agreement with Ronaldo but left the door open for his return following Portugal’s 2-1 win over Norway. After Ronaldo apologised and said he remained available for international selection, the Portuguese Football Federation suspended the forward for 30 days and fined him €255. The Portuguese Football Federation released a statement after Ronaldo’s retirement announcement, expressing its profound and eternal gratitude for his services. “More than an exceptional athlete, our captain was an inspiring leader, an example of dedication and the ultimate symbol of the soul of our National Team,” said the statement. Jesus told Canal 11 on Thursday that he had spoken to Ronaldo about his international future earlier this year. “This is all his decision. We already had the opportunity to talk about this before the first call-up,” said Jesus. “I asked him to stay, to stay with me because I needed him to be by my side, but I have to accept his decision. He is a world reference, a reference for Portugal, a reference for the national team.” Portugal teammate Bruno Fernandes described Ronaldo as an “inspiration”. “It was a privilege to be able to share great moments with our national team alongside my childhood idol,” he said. Portuguese Prime Minister Luis Montenegro said on social media that Ronaldo’s achievements for his country would “echo through eternity.” Ronaldo leaves the international stage as Portugal’s most successful player in terms of individual and team honours and has become a cultural reference point for the country around the world. “I spent my life working to become the best player in the world. Today I realise that my greatest victory was having deserved the honour of representing the best country in the world,” said Ronaldo in his statement.