Daijiworld Media Network - Lisbon

Lisbon, Nov 6: 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 confirmed his decision through an emotional video message posted on Instagram on Thursday. Ronaldo said he would step away from international duty following the upcoming international break, marking the end of an extraordinary journey as Portugal's captain and one of football's greatest players.

Ronaldo retires from international football holding the records for the most goals and appearances in men's international football. Since making his senior debut for Portugal in August 2003 at the age of 18, he has scored 146 goals in 234 appearances, representing his country at six World Cups and six European Championships.

One of the defining moments of his international career came in 2016, when he captained Portugal to its first major international trophy by winning the UEFA European Championship in France. He later guided the team to victory in the UEFA Nations League in 2019 and 2025.

The announcement follows Portugal's exit from the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which Ronaldo had previously identified as his final appearance at the tournament. His decision also comes after tensions with head coach Jorge Jesus over his playing time during recent international fixtures.

Ronaldo had earlier maintained his willingness to continue representing Portugal despite the disagreements. However, his retirement now marks the beginning of a new chapter for the national team as it prepares to move forward with younger players.

In his farewell message, Ronaldo said the time had come to hand over Portugal's iconic number seven shirt to the next generation.

"To the Portuguese people, the day has come for me to hand back the number seven shirt of our national team. I never felt it belonged to me alone, but for 23 years I had the privilege and responsibility of wearing it, defending it and carrying it with me into stadiums all around the world," he said.

"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," he added.

Ronaldo's retirement brings to a close one of the most remarkable international careers in football history, leaving behind an unmatched record of goals, appearances and major achievements for Portugal.

He will, however, continue his professional club career with Saudi Arabian side Al-Nassr.