Cristiano Ronaldo has announced his retirement from international football, ending a 23-year career with Portugal in which he scored a record 146 goals in 234 appearances.
The 41-year-old Al Nassr forward confirmed his decision in a social media post on Thursday, November 5, with the message: “Portugal will always be in me.”
Ronaldo leaves the national team as its most capped player and highest goalscorer. His international career included the 2016 European Championship triumph and two UEFA Nations League titles, won in 2019 and 2025.
In a statement accompanying his announcement, the former Portugal captain reflected on his time representing his country and thanked those who supported him throughout his career.
“Today I finish my walk on the pitch with the national team. I leave with my head held high, with pride in the path I took, and with the awareness that I gave everything I had for Portugal.
“The goals pass, the cups are in museums, the records end up being beaten. But there is something that time can never erase, the place we occupy in people’s hearts.
“I spent my life working to be the best player in the world. Today I realise that the greatest victory was to have deserved to represent the best country in the world.”
He also acknowledged his team-mates, coaches, family and supporters around the world.
“Thank you for these 23 years. Thank you for having believed in me. Portugal will always be in me. Forever.”
Ronaldo’s Retirement Follows Disagreement With Jorge Jesus
The announcement comes weeks after a dispute between Ronaldo and Portugal head coach Jorge Jesus over his role in the national team.
The disagreement followed Ronaldo’s omission from the starting line-up for Portugal’s 2-1 win over Norway during the September-October international break. He had started the earlier 1-0 victory against Wales but did not feature against Norway.
The forward subsequently left the national team camp ahead of the match against Denmark on October 1.
Ronaldo later accused Jesus of going back on an assurance that he would play 30 minutes against Norway.
“Everyone knows the rest. I warmed up from half-time onwards, watched the minutes tick by and wasn’t called on,” Ronaldo said. “The coach had broken his word to me.”
The player also claimed that an agreement reached during a subsequent meeting with Jesus was not reflected in the coach’s public comments.
“It was the second time he had broken his word to me. I decided to leave the training camp without waiting for any further broken promises.”
Jesus denied that such an agreement had been made. Ronaldo later apologised to his team-mates and the Portuguese public for leaving the camp, while accepting that the decision was wrong despite what he described as a breach of trust.
The Portuguese Football Federation handed him a 30-day suspension and a £215 fine.
A Record-Breaking Portugal Career
Ronaldo’s international career began in 2003 and included five World Cup appearances. He helped Portugal win Euro 2016, the country’s first major international trophy, before adding Nations League titles in 2019 and 2025.
Portugal’s most recent World Cup campaign ended with a 1-0 defeat to eventual champions Spain in the round of 16.
Ronaldo had previously indicated that the tournament would be his last World Cup, although he initially said he would not make a rushed decision about his international future.
His retirement brings an end to a career spanning more than two decades, during which he became Portugal’s most prominent goalscorer and a central figure in the country’s major international successes.
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