Ronaldo retires from Portugal after 23-year career
File photo: REUTERS
Portuguese footballer Cristiano Ronaldo officially announced his retirement from international football, bringing an end to his glittering 23-year career representing his country.
The 41-year-old Al Nassr forward concluded his record-breaking tenure with 146 goals in 234 appearances.
On Thursday, Ronaldo confirmed the decision on social media, posting a message with the caption “Portugal will always be in me.”
Throughout his career, Ronaldo led Portugal to victory at Euro 2016 and secured two Nations League titles in 2019 and 2025. In their most recent World Cup campaign in North America, Portugal exited the tournament in the round of 16 following a 1-0 loss to eventual champions Spain.
Following that tournament, the forward said it would be his last appearance, though he later noted he would avoid making any hasty decisions.
However, his decision to step down comes after a fallout with head coach Jorge Jesus during the previous international break. During that same period, Ronaldo publicly admitted that he had considered ending his Portugal career right after the World Cup.
He said, “Today I finish my walk on the pitch with the national team. I leave with my head held high, with pride in the path I took, and with the awareness that I gave everything I had for Portugal.
“The goals pass, the cups are in museums, the records end up being beaten. But there is something that time can never erase, the place we occupy in people’s hearts.
“I spent my life working to be the best player in the world. Today I realize that the greatest victory was to have deserved to represent the best country in the world.”
Thanking his teammates, coaches, family, and supporters around the world, Ronaldo added, “Thank you for these 23 years. Thank you for having believed in me. Portugal will always be in me. Forever.”
A statement on Instagram revealed that Ronaldo had actually written his retirement statement on the plane returning from North America after the 1-0 loss to Spain in the last 16, but Pedro Proença, the president of the Portuguese Football Federation, talked him out of releasing it at the time.
