Cristiano Ronaldo announces international retirement - EWN

LISBON - Portuguese football legend Cristiano Ronaldo announced on Thursday that he was retiring from international football at the age of 41.

Ronaldo played 234 times for Portugal and scored 146 goals -- a world record.

But the forward's powers have been waning in recent years and he fell out with national coach Jorge Jesus last month after he refused to play him in a Nations League match.

Ronaldo immediately left the team camp and was handed a 30-day suspension.

Although it was rumoured that he intended to return to the international fold, on Thursday the five-time winner of the Ballon d'Or released a video on his Instagram account in which he said he was ending his international career.

"To the Portuguese people, the day has come for me to hand back the number seven shirt of our national team," Ronaldo said, as images of his career were played.