Cristiano Ronaldo has retired from international football. The 41-year-old announced his decision via a social media post on Thursday. He stated that following the November international break, he would return Portugal’s number 7 jersey to the team.

Ronaldo’s journey began on August 20, 2003, against Kazakhstan, when he was just 18 years old. Over the next 23 years, he played 234 matches for Portugal and scored a record 146 goals.

In a video, Ronaldo said, “My journey on the pitch with the national team is coming to an end. I depart with pride. I gave everything I had for Portugal.”

He added that when he looks back, he remembers not just the matches, goals, records, and trophies, but the people who made this journey truly special.

A footballer who scored in 6 World Cups

Ronaldo played in his first World Cup in Germany in 2006. He subsequently remained part of the Portuguese squad for the 2010, 2014, 2018, 2022, and 2026 tournaments—participating in six consecutive World Cups. He also became the first player in the world to score a goal in six different World Cups.

Across these tournaments, he played a total of 27 matches and scored 11 goals. He set this record by scoring against Uzbekistan in 2026. However, his dream of winning the World Cup remained unfulfilled. The team’s best performance came in 2006, when they reached the semi-finals and finished in fourth place.

Led Portugal to become Euro champions for the first time in 2016

Among the greatest achievements of Ronaldo’s career is the 2016 Euro Cup title. The Euro Cup is the largest tournament contested between the national football teams of Europe.

Portugal won the trophy for the first time by defeating France 1–0 in the final. Under his captaincy, Portugal also won the UEFA Nations League title in 2019 and 2025. The Nations League is a competition played between the national teams of Europe.