Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo has announced his retirement from international football, bringing an end to his 23-year career with the national team.
The 41-year-old made the announcement on Thursday in a video shared on his social media accounts, saying he was ready to hand over Portugal’s iconic number seven shirt to the next generation.
“The day has come for me to hand back the number seven shirt of our national team,” he said.
Ronaldo added that the decision was difficult, noting that some decisions were guided by the heart rather than the mind.
The Al-Nassr forward will officially end his international career after the November international break.
He leaves Portugal as the country’s most-capped player and leading goalscorer, with 234 appearances and 146 goals. He also captained the team to the 2016 European Championship and two UEFA Nations League titles in 2019 and 2025.
His announcement follows a disagreement with head coach Jorge Jesus in September, when Ronaldo left the national team camp after being left on the bench during a Nations League match against Norway.
He was subsequently handed a 30-day suspension and fined by the Portuguese Football Federation after the incident.
Ronaldo will continue playing club football with Saudi Arabian side Al-Nassr.
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