Cristiano Ronaldo Retires from Portugal National Team

Cristiano Ronaldo announced on Thursday that he will no longer represent the Portuguese national team. The 41-year-old forward ended a career that included six World Cup tournaments and a European championship title.

In a video message shared on his Instagram account, Ronaldo said it was time to return the number 7 jersey to the Portuguese people. He stated that he never felt the shirt belonged solely to him. He described the 23 years as a privilege and a responsibility to defend the team in stadiums around the world.

Ronaldo holds the record for the most goals in men’s international football history. He has scored 146 goals in 234 appearances. He also holds the record for the most goals at the European Championship, with 14 total.

His major team victories include the 2016 UEFA European Championship and the UEFA Nations League in 2019 and 2025. Although he never won the World Cup, he reached the semifinals in Germany in 2006, where Portugal finished in fourth place.

The announcement came after the Portuguese Football Federation’s Disciplinary Council suspended him for 30 days. The council also fined him 255 euros, the minimum penalty allowed by the rules. The sanction followed his departure from the Portugal training camp on September 30.