Lisbon, Portugal, November 6, 2026 — Cristiano Ronaldo has announced his retirement from international football, bringing an end to a 23-year career with Portugal that included a European Championship title and the record for the most goals in men's international football.
The 41-year-old forward made the announcement Thursday through a lengthy video message on social media, saying it was time to pass on Portugal's No. 7 shirt to the next generation.
“To the Portuguese people, the day has come for me to hand back the No. 7 shirt of our national team,” Ronaldo said. He added that wearing the shirt for 23 years had been both a privilege and a responsibility.
“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 said.
Ronaldo's international journey began in August 2003, ahead of Euro 2004. During his career, he represented Portugal at six World Cups and helped the national team win the European Championship.
He leaves international football with 146 goals in 234 appearances for Portugal, making him the all-time leading scorer in men's international football. He currently has 985 career goals and is pursuing the milestone of 1,000.
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Ronaldo is expected to continue playing at club level with Saudi Arabian side Al-Nassr, with his club career expected to conclude at the end of the current season.
His final appearance for Portugal came on September 24, when the team secured a 1-0 home victory over Wales in the Nations League.
The announcement followed a disagreement with coach Jorge Jesus. Jesus left Ronaldo on the bench for the subsequent match and said he did not intend to start him in the following game. Ronaldo then left Portugal's training camp. Jesus later said the forward would be welcome to return and that the decision was his to make.
The Portuguese Football Federation issued a statement expressing “deep gratitude and immense admiration” for Ronaldo's contribution to the country.
Ronaldo's retirement comes after long-time rival Lionel Messi ended his international career with Argentina last month following a much-anticipated farewell match.