BREAKING: Ronaldo retires from international football - Punch Newspapers

Cristiano Ronaldo of Portugal in action during the UEFA Nations League 2026/27 Group A4 League Phase match between Portugal and Wales at Estadio Jose Alvalade on September 24, 2026 in Lisbon, Portugal. (Photo by Alex Juarez / ANADOLU / Anadolu via AFP)

Portuguese football star Cristiano Ronaldo has announced his retirement from international football after 23 years with the national team.

The 41-year-old forward announced the decision in an emotional message shared on his Instagram account on Thursday, saying he was handing over Portugal’s number seven shirt after a career he described as life-changing.

“The day has come for me to hand back the number 7 shirt of our national team,” Ronaldo said.

He added, “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.

“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.”

Ronaldo, who made his senior international debut in August 2003, said his journey with Portugal had come to an end, reflecting on the people and experiences that shaped his time with the team.

“A journey that began in August 2003 and changed my life forever has come to an end. When I look back at everything with the national team, I don’t just see the matches, goals, records or trophies.

“I see people. I see the Portuguese people living abroad who, for 90 minutes, felt a little closer to home. I see millions of Portuguese people I have never met but who became part of my life. Because at the end of the day, football is so much bigger than a game. Football is about people,” he added.

The five-time Ballon d’Or winner said he had consistently pushed himself to achieve more while representing his country, despite the disappointments and setbacks along the way.

“Throughout my entire career with the national team, I always pushed myself beyond my limits.

“I wanted to win, I wanted to be better, I wanted to make history. I always demanded the most of myself. I always wanted more. I always believed we could go further. And I gave everything I had for this shirt,” he said.

He also acknowledged the defeats and occasions when he felt he had not met the expectations of Portuguese supporters.

“I made mistakes. I suffered. There were also moments when I couldn’t give the Portuguese people what they so desperately wanted. But I never gave up. And above all, I never stopped feeling proud to represent Portugal,” he said.

Ronaldo leaves the national team as the highest-scoring player in men’s international football, with 146 goals in 234 appearances, according to UEFA figures updated in October 2026.

He is also the most-capped male international footballer in history, having surpassed Kuwait’s Bader Al-Mutawa’s record. Ronaldo became the first player to score at six different World Cup tournaments in 2026.

His international career began on August 20, 2003, against Kazakhstan, before he featured at the 2004 European Championship, where Portugal finished as runners-up after losing the final to Greece.

He captained Portugal to their first major international trophy at Euro 2016, despite being forced off injured during the final against France. The country subsequently won the inaugural UEFA Nations League in 2019 and lifted the trophy again in 2025.

Beyond international football, Ronaldo established himself as one of the most decorated players in the sport. He has won five Ballon d’Or awards and five UEFA Champions League titles, while playing for Manchester United, Real Madrid and Juventus, among others.

He also won league titles in England, Spain and Italy, and became Real Madrid’s all-time leading goalscorer during his nine-year spell at the Spanish club.

Okiki is a journalist with over seven years experience covering politics, foreign news, society, entertainment and the film industry.

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