Cristiano Ronaldo says goodbye to Portugal after 23 years and 146 goals with the national team

The Portuguese football legend Cristiano Ronaldo announced his retirement as an international player this Thursday, after a 23-year career with the Portuguese national team and a recent controversy with his coach Jorge Jesus, which resulted in a suspension.

"It was not an easy decision," said the 41-year-old star in a message on Instagram addressed "to the Portuguese people," where he announced that the time had come to hand over "for the future" the jersey with which he won the 2016 European Championship.

- Record of matches and goals -

"Today my journey with the national team comes to an end," added Ronaldo in a video. He retires with record figures in men's football: 234 caps and 146 goals for the Portuguese team since 2003.

His retirement is marred by the scandal with Jorge Jesus on September 27 in Oslo. The coach left him on the bench without any playing time in the Nations League match against Norway, despite having warmed up on the sidelines for over half an hour.

Before the next match against Denmark, it was announced that Ronaldo would not start and the player left the training camp.

After apologizing a few days later, CR7 received a symbolic 30-day suspension and a fine of 255 euros (286 dollars).

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- Plea against Jorge Jesus -

The Portuguese Football Federation had paved the way for his return by announcing last week that he was among the fifty players pre-called up to face Denmark on November 14 in Braga (north) and then Wales, three days later, in Cardiff.

Although Ronaldo regretted his attitude towards the fans and his teammates, he lashed out at coach Jorge Jesus with a long statement in which he accuses him of having betrayed his trust.

Anticipating the coach's final list for the next two Nations League matches by 24 hours, the Portuguese captain announced that he will not return.

"The day has come to return the number 7 jersey of our national team to everyone. I am ending a journey that began in August 2003 and changed my life forever," declared the global icon in this video posted on his Instagram account.

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- Contrast with Messi -

In his last major tournament, the World Cup organized in the summer of 2026 in North America, the player born on the island of Madeira became the first in history to score in six World Cups, but the competition ended with a subdued performance, with Portugal's elimination in the round of 16 against Spain (1-0), the future champions.

The contrast is striking with his eternal rival Lionel Messi, who reached the final of the last World Cup as the hero of an Argentina built around him and always ready to follow him.

With his five Ballon d'Or awards and as many Champions League titles, won with Manchester United and Real Madrid, Ronaldo long sustained Portuguese ambitions of winning the World Cup.

A semifinalist in the 2006 edition, he took over from the generation of Luís Figo and equaled the feat of Eusébio, the first of the three Portuguese Ballon d'Or winners, who had led Portugal to the semifinals in the 1966 World Cup.

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- The 2016 Euro, "forever" -

And, after another semifinal in Euro 2012, his greatest achievement was the victory in the continental championship four years later.

The final against France in Paris will, however, remain a moment of contrasts for Cristiano Ronaldo, who left the field in tears due to injury after about twenty minutes of play, later watching as Éder took on the role of providential hero with his decisive goal in extra time (1-0).

"I won the 2016 Euro and, for me, it is as important as the World Cup. That will remain forever," he recalled at the end of the last World Cup.

Portugal, which had to wait for the emergence of the Ronaldo era to achieve its first senior national team titles, later won the Nations League on two occasions, in its first edition in 2019 and again in 2025.

Approaching the 42 years he will turn in February, Ronaldo will remain active as a player for Al Nasr in Saudi Arabia, his club since 2022.

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