Portugal legend Cristiano Ronaldo has officially announced his retirement from international football, drawing the curtain on an extraordinary 23-year career with his country. The 41-year-old forward walks away from the international stage holding two monumental world records, having registered 146 goals across 234 caps for the national team since first making his senior debut back in 2003.
The announcement follows recent friction within the national setup. Just last month, the veteran attacker walked out of the Portugal camp after being informed that he would not be starting in the team's Nations League encounter against Denmark, foreshadowing his eventual departure from national duty.
Ronaldo confirmed the news directly to supporters in an Instagram video, reflecting on the weight of the iconic jersey he carried for over two decades. "To the Portuguese people, the day has come for me to hand back the number seven shirt of our national team," Ronaldo said. "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."
Looking ahead to Portugal's next era, the forward admitted that stepping away was an emotional choice. "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," he added, before concluding: "A journey that began in August 2003 and changed my life forever has come to an end."