Cristiano Ronaldo has retired from international football. The 41-year-old announced his decision via a social media post on Thursday. He stated that following the international break in November, he will return Portugal’s number 7 jersey to the team. Ronaldo’s journey began on August 20, 2003, in a match against Kazakhstan; he was only 18 years old at the time. Over the next 23 years, he played 234 matches for Portugal and scored 146 goals, the highest tally for the team. He also recorded 46 assists (the final pass leading to a goal).
In a video, Ronaldo remarked, “My journey on the pitch with the national team is coming to an end. I leave with pride. I gave everything I had for Portugal.” He also mentioned that looking back, he remembers not just the matches, goals, records, and trophies, but also the people who made this journey special. Ronaldo played in his first World Cup in Germany in 2006. He subsequently represented Portugal in the 2010, 2014, 2018, 2022, and 2026 tournaments, marking six consecutive World Cup appearances. He also became the first player to score a goal in six different World Cups. In total, he played 27 matches and scored 11 goals across these tournaments. He achieved this record by scoring against Uzbekistan in 2026. However, his dream of winning the World Cup remained unfulfilled. The team’s best performance came in 2006, when they reached the semi-finals and finished in fourth place.
