Portugal Forward Cristiano Ronaldo Announces Retirement From National Team

The 41-year-old, who currently plays club football at Al Nassr, scored 146 goals and won 234 caps for his country since his debut in 2003.

Portugal legend Cristiano Ronaldo has announced his retirement from international football.

“To the Portuguese people, the day has come for me to hand back the number seven shirt of our national team,” Ronaldo said in a video posted on his official X account on Thursday.

“I never felt it belonged to me alone, but for 23 years I had the privilege and responsibility of wearing it, defending it, and carrying it with me into stadiums all around the world.

“Today the time has come to pass it on to the future. It was not an easy decision, because some decisions are not made with the mind alone — they are also made with the heart.

“A journey that began in August 2003 and changed my life forever has come to an end,” he added.

Forty-one-year-old Ronaldo, who currently plays club football at Al Nassr, scored 146 goals and won 234 caps for his country since his debut in 2003.

His goal and appearance tallies are both world records.

The forward’s retirement announcement comes weeks after he reportedly walked out of the Portugal camp last month, following reports that he would not be included in the starting line-up for the Nations League match against Denmark.

In October, he fell out with national coach Jorge Jesus after the coach refused to play him in a Nations League match.

Ronaldo immediately left the team’s camp and was handed a 30-day suspension.

Although there had been speculation that he intended to return to international football, the five-time Ballon d’Or winner released a video on his X account on Thursday, announcing the end of his international career.

Throughout his international career, Ronaldo won the European Championship with Portugal in 2016 in France, although he had to leave the field during the final due to an injury.

At the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico, he scored three goals, but Portugal were eliminated in the Round of 16 by Spain, who went on to lift the trophy.

His departure from the international stage follows that of his long-term rival, Lionel Messi, who played his final match for Argentina last month.