Cristiano Ronaldo Retires From International Football After 23 Years

Cristiano Ronaldo has announced his retirement from international football, less than a month after insisting he wanted to return to the Portugal team following his dispute with head coach Jorge Jesus.

The 41-year-old confirmed his decision in a video released on Thursday, speaking about handing over the number seven shirt and thanking those who had shared his international career. Ronaldo has made 234 appearances for Portugal and scored 146 goals, both world records in men's football.

"It was not an easy decision, because there are decisions that are not made only with the head. They are also made with the heart," he said.

There had been signs he was considering retirement long before Thursday's announcement. After Portugal's World Cup exit to Spain in July, Ronaldo prepared a farewell letter, but Portuguese Football Federation president Pedro Proença persuaded him to reconsider on the flight home.

He subsequently backed the appointment of Jesus, his former manager at Al-Nassr, and was named in Portugal's first squad in September. Ahead of their Nations League opener against Wales, Ronaldo said he still believed he could contribute and hoped to keep playing as long as he could help the team.

That understanding unravelled quickly. Ronaldo was an unused substitute in the win away to Norway and left the camp on 30 September after learning he would not start against Denmark. In a lengthy statement released the following week, he accused Jesus of breaking promises about his playing time and how he handled their disagreement. Jesus disputed Ronaldo's account.

The forward apologised for leaving the squad and accepted that he should be punished, but remained adamant that he wanted to continue playing for Portugal.

"I will be available, as I have always been until today, to compete and win for our national team," he said at the time.

The Portuguese Football Federation subsequently imposed a 30-day suspension, backdated to his departure from the squad. Ronaldo was included in a preliminary selection for November's Nations League matches on 27 October, with officials apparently leaving the door open for his return.

His decision ends a Portugal career that began against Kazakhstan in August 2003. Ronaldo was only 18 when he made his debut, having recently completed his move from Sporting CP to Manchester United.

He played at six World Cups, becoming the first footballer to score at all six, and captained Portugal to their first major international trophy at Euro 2016.

That victory came under unusual circumstances for Ronaldo. Injured during the opening half of the final against France, he watched from the sidelines as Portugal eventually won through Éder's extra-time goal. Portugal had lost the Euro 2004 final to Greece on home soil 12 years earlier.

Portugal went on to win the inaugural Nations League in 2019 and repeated that success in 2025, when Ronaldo scored against Spain in the final before his side prevailed on penalties.

His final World Cup ended in July with defeat to Spain in the last 16, a result that brought renewed questions about his place in the national team. Ronaldo confirmed immediately afterwards that he would not play at another World Cup, although he initially remained reluctant to give up international football altogether.

He had also spoken about his ambition to reach 1,000 career goals, having suggested that achieving the milestone in a Portugal shirt would be particularly special. Ronaldo remains an Al-Nassr player, with Thursday's announcement concerning his international career rather than his club future.