Cristiano Ronaldo Announces End of Portugal International Career
The 41-year-old forward said he will no longer play for Portugal, ending a tenure that included six World Cups, a European championship and the men's all-time international scoring record.
Portugal's all-time leading scorer Cristiano Ronaldo said on Thursday that he will retire from international football, ending a career that spanned six World Cups, a European title and the men's all-time scoring record. In a video posted to social media, the 41-year-old explained his decision to hand back the No. 7 shirt.
"To the Portuguese people, the day has come for me to hand back the No. 7 shirt of our national team," Ronaldo said. "I never felt it belonged to me alone but for 23 years I had the privilege and the responsibility of wearing it, defending it and carrying it with me into stadiums all around the world." Ronaldo added that his departure follows a period of tension with coach Jorge Jesus, after which he chose to step away from the national squad.