Cristiano Ronaldo has announced his retirement from international football, ending a 23-year Portugal career that brought 234 appearances, 146 goals and three major titles. The 41-year-old confirmed his decision in a social-media video on Thursday, November 5, while continuing his club career with Saudi Arabia’s Al-Nassr.
“To the Portuguese people, the day has come for me to hand back the No. 7 shirt of our national team,” Ronaldo said. “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 around the world.”
His departure closes the most prolific career in men’s international football. FIFA confirmed that his appearance and scoring totals are both men’s world records, accumulated across a period in which Portugal won the European Championship in 2016 and the UEFA Nations League in 2019 and 2025.
The announcement follows a dispute over his role under Portugal coach Jorge Jesus, although Ronaldo did not directly address the disagreement in his farewell message. His last international appearance came on September 24, in a 1–0 Nations League victory over Wales.
A farewell following a dispute over playing time
Tensions between Ronaldo and Jesus escalated after the forward remained an unused substitute against Norway. According to the BBC, Ronaldo became frustrated after warming up without being brought on, then left the national-team camp after being told he would not start the subsequent match against Denmark.
The Portuguese Football Federation imposed a 30-day suspension and a fine. The suspension did not overlap with any Portugal matches, and Jesus subsequently said the door remained open for Ronaldo to return.
Ronaldo had initially insisted he was not retiring and accused Jesus of having “broken his word” on two occasions, the BBC reported. His eventual farewell came before the announcement of Portugal’s squad for November’s Nations League fixtures against Denmark and Wales.
In his retirement message, however, Ronaldo focused on his relationship with Portugal and its supporters rather than the coaching dispute.
Today the time has come to pass it on to the future.
Cristiano Ronaldo
It was not an easy decision because some decisions are not made with the mind alone. They are also made with the heart. A journey that began in August 2003 and changed my life forever has come to an end.
From an 18-year-old debutant to Portugal’s record holder
Ronaldo made his senior international debut on August 20, 2003, aged 18, in a 1–0 friendly victory over Kazakhstan. He entered the match as a replacement for Luís Figo, beginning a national-team career that would span more than two decades.
His first international goal came at Euro 2004, where host nation Portugal ultimately finished runner-up to Greece. Twelve years later, he helped Portugal win its first major senior international title at Euro 2016. Nations League victories followed in 2019 and 2025.
Ronaldo scored in the 2025 Nations League final against Spain, which finished 2–2 before Portugal won the penalty shootout 5–3. It became the third major international trophy of his career.
His longevity also stretched across six European Championships and six World Cups. He leaves with European Championship records of 30 appearances and 14 goals.
At the 2026 World Cup in North America, Ronaldo scored three times, becoming the first man to score in six editions of the tournament. Those goals took his World Cup total to 11, surpassing Eusébio’s previous Portugal record of nine.
The World Cup nevertheless remained beyond his reach. Portugal’s best finish during his international career was fourth place in 2006; the country’s highest finish remains third in 1966.
A generation of uninterrupted tournament appearances
Ronaldo’s career coincided with a sustained transformation in Portugal’s presence at major tournaments. Before his debut, the country had appeared at only three World Cups—1966, 1986 and 2002—and three European Championships—1984, 1996 and 2000. Portugal qualified for every edition of both competitions during his senior international career.
That record belonged to successive generations of Portuguese players, but Ronaldo provided an unusually enduring link between them. He scored for his country in 23 consecutive calendar years, from 2004 to 2026, and became the first man to reach 200 international appearances before extending his total to 234.
Throughout my entire career with the national team, I always pushed myself beyond my limits.
Cristiano Ronaldo
I wanted to win. I wanted to be better. I wanted to make history.
Al-Nassr career continues as 1,000-goal pursuit remains
Ronaldo’s announcement applies to international football, not his professional career as a whole. He will continue playing for Al-Nassr, with the Associated Press reporting a career total of 985 goals at the time of his announcement—15 short of the 1,000-goal milestone.
AP reported that he is expected to finish his club career at the end of the current season. That remains an expectation rather than a club-retirement announcement from Ronaldo.
His Portugal farewell also follows Lionel Messi’s departure from international football with Argentina in October, bringing the national-team careers of the two long-standing rivals to a close within weeks of each other.
Portugal plans a tribute
The Portuguese Football Federation expressed “deep gratitude and immense admiration” for Ronaldo and said it intended to organise a tribute allowing supporters to celebrate his contribution. The statement did not specify a date, venue or confirm that the tribute would take the form of a farewell match.
“Cristiano Ronaldo has raised Portugal’s profile and inspired generations of young people who dream of following in his footsteps,” the federation said.
Ronaldo ended his message by returning to the shirt that had defined his international career.
Thank you for these 23 years. Thank you for believing in me. Thank you for allowing me to live a dream that began when I was just a little boy in Madeira, running after a football.
Cristiano Ronaldo said.
The No. 7 shirt will remain. The pride of having worn it will be mine forever.
