Cristiano Ronaldo announces retirement from international football

Cristiano Ronaldo has announced his retirement from international football, stating he is "handing back" the number seven shirt of the Portuguese national team. The 41-year-old forward shared the decision via a five-minute speech on his social media accounts on Thursday.

Career achievements and statistics

During his 23-year international career, which began in August 2003, Ronaldo represented Portugal 234 times and scored 146 goals. According to reports, this makes him the men's record-holder for both international appearances and international goals.

His career with the national team included several major achievements:

• Captaining Portugal to their first major trophy at Euro 2016.
• Leading the team to the 2019 Nations League title.
• Leading the team to the 2025 Nations League title.

In a statement released on social media, Ronaldo said, "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."

Recent events and disputes

Reports indicate that Ronaldo's final appearance for the national team was a 1-0 Nations League victory against Wales on September 24. Following that match, Portugal coach Jorge Jesus left Ronaldo on the bench for a subsequent game and stated he would not start the following match.

This led to a dispute in which Ronaldo reportedly walked out of the Portugal training camp. As a result, the Portuguese Football Association (FPF) suspended and fined him, though he had been expected to return for the November international break.

There had been speculation regarding his retirement following Portugal's exit from the World Cup in the summer, with reports suggesting the manager had convinced him to stay at that time.

Statements from the FPF and Ronaldo

The Portuguese Football Association (FPF) released a statement expressing gratitude and respect for the player, also known as "CR7." The FPF stated, "Cristiano Ronaldo has raised Portugal's profile and inspired generations of young people who dream of following in his footsteps; for many of us, he is the greatest player of all time!"

The FPF also indicated it intends to organize a tribute so that "the fans and the country can one more time applaud and celebrate a player who has given us so much."

In his farewell, Ronaldo noted the decision was not easy, stating, "It was not an easy decision, there are decisions that are not only with the head. They are also made with the heart."

Future plans

Despite retiring from international football, Ronaldo intends to continue his club career with Al-Nassr in Saudi Arabia. He was noted to have missed a recent 6-2 victory against Pakhtakor and will not participate in Al-Nassr's AFC Champions League match in Uzbekistan due to security concerns.

---

Sources

• dw.com: Cristiano Ronaldo retires from international football
• mirror.co.uk: Cristiano Ronaldo ends Portugal career with emotional five-minute retirement speech - The Mirror

This article was drafted with AI assistance and checked against the sources above. Company claims are reported as claims. Cover image is AI-generated.