Cristiano Ronaldo announces retirement from Portugal national team
The 41-year-old forward said he will hand back Portugal’s number 7 shirt after 23 years, ending a record-setting international career.
Portugal’s all-time leading scorer Cristiano Ronaldo announced on Thursday that he will retire from international football, saying he is ready to hand back the national team’s number 7 shirt. In a video addressed to supporters, Ronaldo said, "> The day has come for me to hand back the number 7 shirt of our national team. I never thought it belonged to me alone. But for 23 years, I had the privilege and the responsibility of wearing it."
Ronaldo finished his international career with 234 caps and 146 goals, both records for Portugal. His tenure included winning the 2016 European Championship, the UEFA Nations League titles in 2019 and 2025, and numerous other achievements.
The Portuguese Football Federation issued a statement confirming its intention to organise a tribute, noting, "> It is our firm and immense desire to organize, plan, participate, and actively collaborate in what will always be a fitting tribute to Cristiano Ronaldo’s immense career, in which fans and the country can applaud and celebrate, once again, the player who has given us so much."
Ronaldo, who continues to play for Saudi Arabian club Al-Nassr, said the decision was emotional as well as rational, adding, "> It was not an easy decision, because there are decisions that are not made only with the head. They are also made with the heart. If I ever made you happy, if one of my goals ever made you hug someone, forget a worry or feel proud of our country, then it was all worth it."
His retirement comes ahead of Portugal’s upcoming UEFA Nations League matches against Denmark and Wales. The federation will announce the squad for those fixtures later this month.