Portuguese football superstar Cristiano Ronaldo has announced his retirement from international football, bringing an end to an illustrious 23-year career with the national team.

 

The 41-year-old forward made the announcement on Thursday, November 5, in an emotional video message shared on his social media accounts, confirming that he would bring his Portugal career to a close after the November international break.

 

In his farewell message, the five-time Ballon d’Or winner said it was time to hand over the country’s iconic number seven shirt to the next generation.

 

“The day has come for me to hand back the number 7 shirt of our national team,” Ronaldo said.

 

He added that although the shirt never belonged to him alone, he had enjoyed the privilege and responsibility of wearing it for 23 years and representing Portugal in stadiums across the world.

 

“Today, the time has come to pass it on to the future. It was not an easy decision, because some decisions are not made with the mind alone. They are also made with the heart,” he said.

 

Ronaldo, who made his senior international debut in August 2003 against Kazakhstan, described his journey with Portugal as an experience that changed his life forever.

 

Reflecting on his time with the national team, the former Real Madrid and Manchester United forward said his memories went beyond goals, records, matches and trophies.

 

He explained that the most meaningful part of his international career was the connection he built with Portuguese supporters, including millions of citizens living abroad who found a sense of belonging through the national team.

 

According to him, football is much bigger than the game itself because of the people and emotions it brings together.

 

The Portugal captain also acknowledged the difficult moments of his career, admitting that there were occasions when he made mistakes, suffered defeats and failed to deliver the results supporters desperately wanted.

 

However, he maintained that he never stopped feeling proud of representing his country.

 

Ronaldo said his determination to win trophies, break records and make history had always pushed him to give his best whenever he wore Portugal’s colours.

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Ronaldo’s Historic Records With Portugal

 

Ronaldo leaves the national team as the highest-scoring player in men’s international football history, with 146 goals in 234 appearances.

 

He also holds the record for the most international appearances by a male footballer, having surpassed Kuwait’s Bader Al-Mutawa.

 

In another remarkable achievement, the forward became the first player to score at six different editions of the FIFA World Cup in 2026.

 

His international journey began on August 20, 2003, when he featured against Kazakhstan. He subsequently represented Portugal at several major tournaments, including the 2004 European Championship, where the country finished as runners-up after losing the final to Greece.

 

His greatest achievement with the national team came at Euro 2016, when he captained Portugal to its first European Championship title.

 

Although an injury forced him off during the final against France, Ronaldo continued encouraging his teammates from the sidelines as Portugal secured a historic 1-0 victory after extra time.

 

Portugal subsequently won the inaugural UEFA Nations League in 2019 before lifting the trophy again in 2025, further cementing Ronaldo’s legacy in the country’s football history.

 

A Legendary Career Beyond International Football

 

Beyond his achievements with Portugal, Ronaldo has established himself as one of the greatest footballers of all time.

 

The five-time Ballon d’Or winner has enjoyed a remarkable club career, representing some of Europe’s biggest teams, including Manchester United, Real Madrid and Juventus.

 

He won five UEFA Champions League titles and secured domestic league championships in England, Spain and Italy.

 

During his nine-year spell at Real Madrid, Ronaldo became the Spanish club’s all-time leading goalscorer, further strengthening his status as one of football’s most prolific forwards.

 

His retirement from international football marks the end of a historic chapter for Portugal, with the country now preparing to move into a new era without the player who wore its iconic number seven shirt for more than two decades.