Cristiano Ronaldo retires from international football after 23 years with Portugal

Cristiano Ronaldo announced on Thursday that he is retiring from international football, bringing an end to a 23-year career with Portugal that made him the most prolific scorer in the history of the men's international game. The decision follows a fallout with national team coach Jorge Jesus.

The 41-year-old leaves with 146 goals in 234 appearances, records for both goals and caps in men's international football. He shared the news in a lengthy video posted on Instagram, telling supporters: "To the Portuguese people, the day has come to hand back the number seven shirt of the national team that belongs to us all. I never felt it was exclusively mine." He added: "It was not an easy decision, because there are decisions that are not made solely with the head; they are also made with the heart."

The announcement came one day before Jorge Jesus was due to name his squad for Portugal's upcoming Nations League matches against Denmark and Wales. Ronaldo had recently served a 30-day suspension imposed by the Portuguese football federation for walking out on the national team during the previous international window, a step he took after a dispute with the new manager over playing time.

His final appearance for Portugal came on Sept. 24, a 1-0 Nations League win over Wales in Lisbon. On Oct. 4, he was an unused substitute for the first time in 18 years in a 2-1 victory away to Norway. Ronaldo apologized to his teammates for the walkout and said he wanted to keep playing for his country, but he did not apologize to Jorge Jesus, his former coach at Al Nassr, whom he accused of breaking promises over his playing time.

The five-time Ballon d'Or winner captained Portugal to the Euro 2016 title, to the inaugural UEFA Nations League trophy three years later and again in 2025. He played at his sixth World Cup this summer, though the trophy remained the one major honor missing from his career. "A journey that began in August 2003 and changed my life forever is coming to an end," he said, adding that when he looks back he does not just see matches, goals, records or trophies, but people, including immigrants who for 90 minutes felt Portugal a little closer.

Ronaldo thanked his teammates and coaches, saying: "No captain walks alone and you're all part of my story." He urged Portugal to keep producing young players who dream, and said a country that continues to create new heroes never stops believing in itself. He plans to continue playing at club level and is expected to finish the season with Al Nassr in Saudi Arabia while chasing his 1,000th career goal. He currently stands on 985, with a record 146 of them scored for Portugal.

The Portuguese football federation issued a lengthy statement on Thursday promising a fitting tribute at a later date. "It is with a sense of deep gratitude and immense admiration that the Portuguese Football Federation publicly pays tribute to and thanks Cristiano Ronaldo for his absolutely extraordinary career in the service of our country," it read, describing the captain as an inspiring leader and the ultimate symbol of the national team's spirit. The statement added: "For many of us, he is the greatest player of all time!" and closed with: "Let's go for goal number 1,000!!!"

Manchester United, Sporting CP and Juventus were among Ronaldo's former clubs to pay tribute to his international career. His retirement comes less than a month after longtime rival Lionel Messi played his final match for Argentina.