Cristiano Ronaldo retires from Portugal national team after 23 years

Cristiano Ronaldo will no longer play for Portugal. The 41-year-old forward announced his retirement from international soccer on Thursday in a long video message posted to social media. He said he was returning the No. 7 shirt to the national team after more than two decades of service.

"To the Portuguese people, the day has come for me to hand back the No. 7 shirt of our national team," Ronaldo said in the video. He described the decision as difficult, noting that it was made with both mind and heart. The journey, which began in August 2003, has now concluded.

The announcement caps a career that included six World Cup appearances and a record number of international goals. Ronaldo scored 146 goals in 234 appearances for Portugal. He is currently pursuing his 1,000th career goal and stands at 985. He will continue playing for Al-Nassr in Saudi Arabia until the end of the current season.

The relationship between Ronaldo and the national team had grown strained recently. His final appearance for Portugal took place on Sept. 24, in a 1-0 home victory over Wales in the Nations League. Following that match, coach Jorge Jesus kept Ronaldo on the bench for the next game and indicated he did not plan to start him in the one after. Ronaldo left the team's training camp in response. Jesus later stated that Ronaldo was welcome back and that the decision to return was up to the player.

Before Ronaldo debuted for Portugal by replacing Luís Figo in a 2003 friendly against Kazakhstan, the team had never won a major trophy. Under his influence, Portugal became a regular presence at major tournaments. The national team won its first major title at Euro 2016. It later claimed the Nations League in 2019 and 2025.

Ronaldo was the first man to score in six World Cups. He reached 11 goals at this year's World Cup, surpassing the previous national record of nine held by Eusébio. Portugal had qualified for the World Cup only three times before Ronaldo's era: 1966, 1986, and 2002. During his tenure, Portugal qualified for every tournament. The same pattern held for the European Championship, where Portugal had played only three times before Ronaldo. Since his arrival, Portugal has participated in every edition. The team finished as runner-up in the 2004 tournament hosted by Portugal.

At the World Cup, Portugal reached fourth place in Ronaldo's tournament debut in 2006. The team remained a candidate for the title in subsequent tournaments, with a best result of a quarterfinal appearance in 2022. Ronaldo has scored for Portugal in 23 consecutive calendar years, from 2004 through 2026. He became the first player to reach 200 men's international appearances. His total of 234 appearances remains the all-time record in men's international soccer.

The Portuguese soccer federation released a statement expressing deep gratitude and immense admiration for Ronaldo's service. The federation said Ronaldo raised Portugal's profile and inspired generations of young people. It called him the greatest player of all time for many of its members. The federation plans to organize a tribute event so fans and the country can applaud and celebrate the player one more time.

Ronaldo also holds the records for most Euro appearances and most Euro goals. He has 30 appearances and 14 goals in the tournament. His first international goal came at the start of Euro 2004, when host Portugal lost to Greece in the final.