Cristiano Ronaldo retires from international football after 23-year career

Cristiano Ronaldo has officially announced his retirement from international football.

The five-time Ballon d’Or winner made the announcement on social media.

RELATED STORY | Cristiano Ronaldo becomes the first player to score in six World Cups

“To the Portuguese people, the day has come for me to hand back the number seven shirt to the national team. I never felt it belonged to me alone. But, for 23 years, I had the privilege and the responsibility of wearing it, defending it and carrying it with me into stadiums all over the world,” Ronaldo said.

“Today, the time has come to carry it into the future. It was not an easy decision, because some decisions are not made with the mind alone,” he added. “They are also made with the heart. A journey that began in August 2003 and changed my life forever has come to an end.”

The announcement comes after the 41-year-old left Portugal’s training camp in September while the team competed in the Nations League, where he made his final international appearance.

Following Portugal’s 1-0 home win over Wales, head coach Jorge Jesus kept Ronaldo on the bench for the following match and said he did not plan to start him in the next one.

Ronaldo ends his 23-year international career with 146 goals in 234 appearances for Portugal. He won UEFA Euro 2016 and the UEFA Nations League in 2019 and 2025. He also competed in six FIFA World Cups, a record he shares with longtime peer and rival Lionel Messi, who announced his retirement from international football this year.

RELATED STORY | Lionel Messi says he’s retiring from playing for Argentina

He made his senior debut for Portugal in August 2003 at the age 18, sparking what would become one of the most prolific careers in soccer history, spanning more than two decades.

Ronaldo will continue playing at the club level for Al-Nassr in Saudi Arabia.