Cristiano Ronaldo Retires From Portugal Duty
Cristiano Ronaldo retires from international football, bringing down the curtain on a Portugal career that lasted 23 years. The 41-year-old said he would hand back the national team’s number seven shirt after the November international break.
Ronaldo announced the decision on Thursday in a video message on social media. He said, “The day has come for me to hand back the number 7 shirt of our national team.”
“Today, the time has come to pass it on to the future. It was not an easy decision,” he added. “A journey that began in August 2003 and changed my life forever has come to an end.”
He captioned the video in Portuguese: “Portugal estará sempre em mim”, which means “Portugal will always be in me”. The Express Tribune reported the announcement shortly after the post went live.
Cristiano Ronaldo retires as record scorer
Ronaldo leaves international football as the leading goalscorer in men’s international football, with 146 goals in 234 appearances for Portugal. He also retires as the most-capped men’s international player in history.
He captained Portugal to their first major trophy at Euro 2016, then helped them win the UEFA Nations League in 2019 and again in 2025, giving him three major international honours.
He played at six World Cups. In July, he admitted the 2026 FIFA World Cup would be his last.
His final appearance came on 24 September 2026, a 1-0 Nations League win against Wales at the Estadio Jose Alvalade in Lisbon, home of his old club Sporting, in which he played 67 minutes.
Fallout with coach preceded the announcement
The final chapter of Ronaldo’s Portugal career was far from smooth. He fell out with national coach Jorge Jesus last month after Jesus refused to use him in a Nations League match. Ronaldo left the team camp in response.
Feature Pakistan reported in October that the Portuguese Football Federation handed Ronaldo a 30-day suspension and a €255 fine on 19 October for walking out of the camp. The suspension began on 1 October, the day of Portugal’s game against Denmark, so he had already served 19 days of it.
Jesus later said Ronaldo would be welcome back and that the decision to return was up to him. Ronaldo had been named in Portugal’s preliminary squad for next week’s Nations League matches, which opened the door to an international return after the fallout.
The Portuguese Football Federation released a statement expressing “deep gratitude and immense admiration” for Ronaldo’s service to the country. The federation said it would plan a tribute to the player it called the greatest of all time.
Club career and the 1,000-goal chase go on
Retirement from international football will not end Ronaldo’s pursuit of 1,000 official career goals. He remains contracted to Saudi club Al Nassr and is expected to keep playing in domestic and continental competitions.
He scored a hat-trick for Al Nassr in October, taking his career tally to 985 goals and leaving him 15 short of the 1,000 mark. A disputed goal earlier that month had kept the count under debate, but the chase has driven his club career.
He is expected to finish his club career at the end of this season with Al-Nassr. That would close a club journey that took him from Sporting to Manchester United, Real Madrid and Juventus before the move to Saudi Arabia.
His announcement also carries a parallel with his long-time rival. Lionel Messi finished his career with Argentina after a much-anticipated farewell match last month, and Ronaldo paid tribute to Messi after that farewell. Two of the game’s defining international careers have now closed within weeks of each other.
What happens next for Portugal
Portugal must now plan life without the player who carried their attack for more than two decades. The November international break includes a Nations League match against Denmark on 14 November, for which Ronaldo had been expected to be available once his suspension ended. The federation has not said who will wear the number seven shirt next.
Frequently asked questions
When did Cristiano Ronaldo announce his retirement from Portugal?
Ronaldo announced it on Thursday, 5 November 2026, in a video message on social media, saying he would hand back the number seven shirt after the November international break.
How many goals did Ronaldo score for Portugal?
146 goals in 234 appearances, making him the leading goalscorer in men’s international football and the most-capped men’s international player.
What trophies did Ronaldo win with Portugal?
Ronaldo captained Portugal to the Euro 2016 title and helped them win the UEFA Nations League in 2019 and 2025.
Will Ronaldo keep playing club football?
Yes. He remains contracted to Al Nassr in Saudi Arabia and will continue his pursuit of 1,000 official career goals at club level.
