Cristiano Ronaldo announces retirement from Portugal national team
The 41-year-old captain will hand back his number 7 shirt following the November international break, according to the Times of India.
Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo announced his intention to retire from international football on Thursday through a social media post. The 41-year-old forward confirmed he will step away from the national team and return the number 7 shirt after the November international break, the Times of India reported.
Ronaldo has represented Portugal for 23 years, making his debut against Kazakhstan on August 20, 2003. During his career, he became the most-capped player and the highest goalscorer in men's international football, recording 146 goals in 234 matches.
In a video message, Ronaldo told the Portuguese people that the time had arrived for him to return the national team's number 7 shirt. He stated that he felt the responsibility of wearing and defending the shirt in stadiums globally for 23 years, adding that the decision was not an easy one.
His international career includes captaining Portugal to a European Championship title in 2016 and UEFA Nations League victories in 2019 and 2025. He is also the first player to score in six different FIFA World Cup editions.
Of his 146 goals, 124 were scored in competitive fixtures such as the FIFA World Cup, European Championships, and UEFA Nations League, while 22 were scored in friendlies. He has also recorded 10 international hat-tricks.