ADاشتہار / AdvertisementGoogle Ad
Ronaldo Quits Portugal: 234 Games, 146 Goals, 23 YearsSports
Cristiano Ronaldo has retired from international football after a fallout with coach Jorge Jesus, ending a 23-year Portugal career of 234 games and 146 goals.
Share:
Cristiano Ronaldo has announced his retirement from international football, bringing down the curtain on one of the most decorated careers in the history of the game. The 41-year-old announced the decision on Thursday in a video posted on social media, saying the time had come to hand back Portugal’s number seven shirt.
Ronaldo made his debut for Portugal in August 2003 and went on to play 234 times for his country, scoring 146 goals. Both figures are records in the men’s international game. He played in a record six European Championships and a joint-record six World Cups, captaining Portugal to their first major trophy at Euro 2016 and to Nations League titles in 2019 and 2025.
ADاشتہار / AdvertisementGoogle Ad
His final match for Portugal came on September 24, a 1-0 Nations League win over Wales. Days later, on September 30, he walked out of the national team camp ahead of a Nations League match against Denmark after a row with head coach Jorge Jesus, who had previously managed him at Al-Nassr. The Portuguese Football Federation suspended him for 30 days and fined him 255 euros.
Jesus, who named his first squad since the retirement on Friday, said he had considered calling Ronaldo up for November’s international matches before learning of the decision. The Portuguese Football Federation paid tribute to its eternal captain and promised to organise an event in his honour, though a farewell match has yet to be announced.
Ronaldo had previously said he was considering international retirement after the 2026 World Cup, where Portugal lost to Spain in the round of 16. According to Ronaldo, Jesus and federation president Pedro Proenca had convinced him to continue, but the rift that followed the September walkout proved final.
The forward will continue playing at club level with Saudi club Al-Nassr, where he has played since 2023 and where his contract runs until June 2027. In an interview published in August, he said this was probably his last year of football. His retirement from international duty comes in the same year that Lionel Messi also stepped away from Argentina, after losing the 2026 World Cup final to Spain in July.
Related Coverage
