Ronaldo announces int’l retirement

Portugal’s all-time great Cristiano Ronaldo has decided to call time on his international career after 23 years of representing his country.

The veteran forward made the announcement in a video message on X, confirming that he would no longer feature for the Portuguese national team.

“To the Portuguese people, the day has come for me to hand back the number 7 shirt of our national team,” Ronaldo said.

Ronaldo made his senior debut for Portugal in August 2003 against Kazakhstan and went on to become one of the greatest players in international football.

He retires as the most-capped player in men’s international football, having made 234 appearances and scored a record 146 goals for Portugal. He also registered 45 assists and 10 international hat-tricks.

One of the defining moments of his career came in 2016, when he captained Portugal to their first-ever European Championship title, defeating hosts France in the final.

The former Manchester United and Real Madrid forward also guided his country to Nations League glory in 2019 and 2025.

Ronaldo further cemented his place in football history in 2021, when he surpassed Iran’s Ali Daei’s record of 109 international goals, eventually extending the tally to 146.

His announcement comes amid recent speculation about his relationship with manager Jorge Jesus, although reports suggested that tensions between the pair had eased.

It is pertinent to mention that Ronaldo leaves international football having led Portugal to three major trophies while setting remarkable records for appearances and goals.