AFCON 2025
Cristiano Ronaldo has announced his retirement from the Portugal national team, bringing an end to a 23-year international career that redefined the country’s football history.
The 41-year-old confirmed the decision on Thursday, 5 November 2026, in an emotional five-minute video posted on social media. The caption read simply: “Portugal estará sempre em mim” (“Portugal will always be in me”).
In the video, Ronaldo read from a prepared letter:
“To the Portuguese people, the day has come for me to hand back the number 7 shirt of our national team. 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.
“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.
“A journey that began in August 2003 and changed my life forever has come to an end… Today my journey on the pitch with the national team comes to an end. I leave with my head held high, proud of the path I took, and with the awareness that I gave everything I had for Portugal. But I will never stop being one of you.”
He closed by thanking the Portuguese people and saying the pride of having worn the No. 7 shirt would remain his forever.
Record-breaking career
Ronaldo finishes as the most-capped and highest-scoring player in the history of men’s international football:
- 234 appearances
- 146 goals
He debuted for Portugal in August 2003 at the age of 18. Over more than two decades he featured at six World Cups and captained the side to its greatest successes: the 2016 European Championship and UEFA Nations League titles in 2019 and 2025.
His final appearance came in September 2026, a 1-0 Nations League win over Wales.
Context of the decision
The announcement follows a turbulent period. After the 2026 World Cup, Ronaldo clashed with new head coach Jorge Jesus over his role in the squad. He walked out of the national team camp in the previous international window, later receiving a 30-day suspension and a fine from the Portuguese Football Federation. At the time he insisted he was not retiring and would remain available after serving the ban. That stance has now changed.
Ronaldo is not retiring from club football. He continues with Al-Nassr in Saudi Arabia, where he is closing in on 1,000 career goals (currently on 985).
Portugal are due to face Denmark and Wales in the Nations League later this month without their long-time talisman.
The curtain has fallen on one of the most remarkable international careers the game has ever seen.
