Cristiano Ronaldo Announces Retirement from International Football with Portugal

Portuguese star Cristiano Ronaldo announced his retirement from international football, ending an extraordinary career with his national team that spanned more than 23 years, since his debut for Portugal in August 2003. Ronaldo said that the decision to retire was not easy, affirming that he gave everything in defense of his country’s colors, and expressing his deep pride in the years spent representing Portugal. The Portuguese star addressed a message of gratitude to fans, teammates, coaches, and his family, noting that representing his national team was the greatest honor and achievement of his life. He added that he would return the number 7 jersey after the international break in November, marking the end of a historic chapter in his football career. Throughout his international career, Ronaldo played 234 matches for Portugal, scoring 146 goals, becoming the all-time record holder for both caps and goals at the international level. Ronaldo is considered one of the greatest legends of football, having led Portugal to victory in the 2016 UEFA European Championship and the UEFA Nations League titles in 2019 and 2025.