Portugal football legend Cristiano Ronaldo has announced his retirement from international football, bringing an illustrious 23-year career with the national team to an end.
The 41-year-old forward made the announcement on Thursday in a video posted on his official X account, in which he said the time had come to hand over Portugal’s iconic number seven shirt to the next generation.
“To the Portuguese people, the day has come for me to hand back the number seven shirt of our national team,” Ronaldo said.
“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.
Ronaldo, who currently plays for Saudi Arabian club Al Nassr, made his Portugal debut in 2003 and went on to earn a record 234 international caps, scoring 146 goals for his country.
Both figures remain world records in men’s international football.
His retirement announcement comes weeks after he reportedly walked out of the Portugal national team camp following indications that he would not feature in the starting line-up for a Nations League match against Denmark.
In October, the five-time Ballon d’Or winner also reportedly had a disagreement with national team coach Jorge Jesus over his selection for a Nations League fixture.
Ronaldo subsequently left the team camp and was handed a 30-day suspension.
Although there had been speculation about his return to the national team, Thursday’s announcement appears to have brought an end to his international career.
During his 23 years representing Portugal, Ronaldo achieved several milestones, most notably leading the country to its first major international trophy at the 2016 European Championship in France.
Although he was forced off with an injury during the final against France, Portugal went on to secure a 1-0 victory after extra time.
He also featured at the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico, scoring three goals before Portugal were eliminated by eventual champions Spain in the Round of 16.
His retirement marks the end of one of the most remarkable international careers in football history, having represented Portugal across multiple generations and major tournaments.
