Cristiano Ronaldo officially announced on Thursday that he will no longer play for the Portugal national team, concluding a remarkable international career that included participation in six World Cups, a European Championship title, and the distinction of being the men's all-time leading scorer in international football history. The 41-year-old superstar revealed his decision via a heartfelt video message on social media.
The announcement marks the end of a celebrated career that began more than two decades ago, just prior to Euro 2004, and culminated in a controversial exit from the national team after a disagreement with coach Jorge Jesus. In his emotional message, Ronaldo stated, "To the Portuguese people, the day has come for me to hand back the No. 7 shirt of our national team. 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." He added, "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. A journey that began in August 2003 and changed my life forever has come to an end."
In contrast to long-time rival Lionel Messi, who played a much-publicized farewell match with Argentina last month, Ronaldo's final game for Portugal was a 1-0 victory against Wales on September 24 during the Nations League. Following this match, Jesus opted to keep Ronaldo on the bench for the subsequent game and indicated that he did not plan to start him in the next one. This led to Ronaldo's decision to leave the team’s training camp. Jesus later expressed that Ronaldo would be welcomed back, leaving the decision of his return in Ronaldo’s hands.
The Portuguese soccer federation responded to Ronaldo's announcement with a statement expressing "deep gratitude and immense admiration" for his service to the nation. The federation emphasized that Ronaldo has significantly raised Portugal’s profile in world football and has inspired generations of young players aspiring to follow in his footsteps. They further declared, "For many of us, he is the greatest player of all time!" Additionally, they announced plans to organize a tribute to Ronaldo, allowing fans and the country to once again applaud and celebrate a player who has contributed so much to Portuguese football.
While Ronaldo steps away from international duties, he continues to play at the club level and is expected to conclude his club career at the end of the current season with Al-Nassr in Saudi Arabia. At present, he is nearing a significant milestone in his career, seeking his 1,000th professional goal, as he currently stands at 985 career goals. Out of these, he has scored a record 146 goals in 234 appearances for the Portugal national team.
