By Our Reporter
Portuguese football legend Cristiano Ronaldo has announced his retirement from international football, bringing an end to an illustrious 23-year career with the national team.
The 41-year-old forward made the announcement on Thursday in an emotional message posted on his Instagram account, saying the time had come to hand over Portugal’s iconic number seven shirt to the next generation.
“The day has come for me to hand back the number 7 shirt of our national team,” Ronaldo declared.
Reflecting on his remarkable journey, the five-time Ballon d’Or winner said wearing Portugal’s shirt had been both a privilege and a responsibility throughout his career.
“I never felt it belonged to me alone, but for 23 years I had the privilege and the responsibility of wearing it, defending it, and carrying it with me into stadiums all around the world,” he said.
Ronaldo described his decision to retire as difficult, acknowledging the emotional attachment he developed to representing his country.
“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,” he added.
The former Manchester United and Real Madrid forward made his senior international debut in August 2003 against Kazakhstan, beginning a journey that would establish him as one of the greatest footballers in history.
Looking back, Ronaldo said his time with Portugal was about much more than goals, records and trophies, highlighting the relationships and emotional connections he built with supporters at home and abroad.
“A journey that began in August 2003 and changed my life forever has come to an end. When I look back at everything with the national team, I don’t just see the matches, goals, records or trophies. I see people,” he said.
He also acknowledged the disappointments and difficult moments of his international career but insisted that he had always given his best in the service of Portugal.
“I made mistakes. I suffered. There were also moments when I couldn’t give the Portuguese people what they so desperately wanted. But I never gave up. And above all, I never stopped feeling proud to represent Portugal,” he stated.
Ronaldo bows out as men’s international football’s highest goalscorer, with 146 goals in 234 appearances, according to UEFA figures updated in October 2026.
He also holds the record for the most international appearances by a male footballer, having surpassed Kuwait’s Bader Al-Mutawa.
At the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Ronaldo made history as the first player to score at six different editions of the tournament.
His international career included several landmark achievements, most notably captaining Portugal to their first major international trophy at Euro 2016. Although he was forced off injured during the final against France, his teammates secured a historic 1-0 victory.
Portugal subsequently won the inaugural UEFA Nations League in 2019 before lifting the trophy again in 2025.
Ronaldo also enjoyed an extraordinary club career, winning five Ballon d’Or awards and five UEFA Champions League titles. He represented several leading European clubs, including Manchester United, Real Madrid and Juventus, while winning domestic league titles in England, Spain and Italy.
During his nine-year spell at Real Madrid, he became the Spanish club’s all-time leading goalscorer.
His retirement brings to a close one of the most remarkable international careers in football, leaving behind records and achievements that will define an era of Portuguese and world football.