Cristiano Ronaldo has retired from international football, bringing an end to a 23-year career with Portugal that produced records no male player has matched.
The 41-year-old announced the decision on Thursday, November 5, 2026, in a video posted on social media in which he read a letter to supporters. It was a farewell delivered away from a stadium, rather than in front of a crowd, and it closed one of the longest and most successful international careers in soccer history.
Ronaldo’s Announcement: “Hand Back the Number 7 Shirt”
“To the Portuguese people, the day has come for me to hand back the number 7 shirt of our national team,” Ronaldo said. “I never felt it was exclusively mine.”
“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,” he said in the video, titled “Portugal will always be a part of me.”
“If I ever made you happy, if one of my goals ever made you hug someone, forget a worry or feel proud of our country, then it was all worth it.”
Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal Records: 234 Caps and 146 Goals
Ronaldo leaves international football with 234 appearances and 146 goals for Portugal, both world records in the men’s game. He made his debut against Kazakhstan in August 2003 at the age of 18, before some of his final Portugal teammates were even born.
No man has played more international matches or scored more international goals. Those numbers stood at the center of a career that turned Portugal from hopeful contenders into champions.
From Tears at Euro 2004 to Glory at Euro 2016
Ronaldo’s Portugal journey began with heartbreak. A year after his debut, Portugal, playing at home, lost the Euro 2004 final to Greece, leaving the teenage winger in tears on the pitch in Lisbon.
Redemption took 12 years. At Euro 2016, Ronaldo captained Portugal to their first major trophy, even though injury forced him off early in the final against France and he watched most of the match from the sideline. Portugal went on to add UEFA Nations League titles in 2019 and 2025, giving Ronaldo three international trophies.
The World Cup That Never Came for Cristiano Ronaldo
The one major honor that never came was the World Cup. Ronaldo became the first player to score at six World Cup tournaments and finished with 11 World Cup goals. Ten of those goals came in the group stage, however, and his only knockout-stage goal was a penalty against Croatia in the round of 32 in 2026. His final attempt ended in the round of 16 this year, when Portugal lost to Spain, the eventual champions.
His last match for Portugal is now the 1-0 Nations League win over Wales in Lisbon on September 24, 2026, unless a farewell or tribute match is arranged.
An Uneasy Ending and the Jorge Jesus Feud
The ending was not entirely smooth. In his announcement, Ronaldo did not mention Portugal coach Jorge Jesus, but his retirement followed weeks of reported tension between the two men.
What Happened Between Ronaldo and Jesus in Norway
According to reporting on the dispute, Ronaldo had expected to play only Portugal’s home matches during the September window, but agreed to travel to Norway after being told to prepare for 30 minutes. He warmed up during the 2-1 win in Oslo on September 27 but was never brought on, and he went straight down the tunnel at full time instead of acknowledging the traveling fans.
The Camp Walkout and Ronaldo’s Punishment
Ronaldo later said Jesus had agreed to clarify publicly that Ronaldo had never demanded playing time and that leaving him unused after warming up had been a mistake. When Jesus did not make those remarks, Ronaldo left the national team camp on September 30, a day before a Nations League match in Denmark.
Ronaldo apologized to supporters and teammates for his actions, but not to the coach, and said he had left because he felt Jesus had broken his word twice. The Portuguese Football Federation fined him 255 euros and gave him a 30-day suspension that did not cause him to miss any matches.
H3: What Jorge Jesus Said After Ronaldo’s Retirement
Jesus addressed the retirement again on Friday, November 6, while announcing his squad for this month’s Nations League matches against Denmark and Wales. He said he had been ready to call Ronaldo up before learning of the decision, and that he had to respect it.
“Of course I thought about calling him up. Of course I thought about speaking with him. But I have to respect it,” Jesus said. “He decided it was time to leave the national team. Sooner or later, it had to happen.”
H2: Portugal Promises Cristiano Ronaldo a Proper Tribute
The federation, for its part, has promised that the farewell will not end with a social media video. The FPF said it “refuses to let this farewell take place without due tribute,” and federation president Pedro Proenca assured supporters that celebrations will be held to honor Ronaldo, although a farewell match has not yet been announced.
Portugal’s next squad already points to the future Jesus described, with seven new players included, five of them from the country’s under-21 team.
H2: What Next for Ronaldo? Al-Nassr and the Chase for 1,000 Goals
Ronaldo is not retiring from soccer completely. He will continue playing for Al-Nassr in Saudi Arabia, where he has played since 2023 and where his contract runs through June 2027. He is also closing in on 1,000 career goals, with 985 reported at the time of his international retirement. In an interview published in August, he said this was “probably my last year of football,” which points to a possible full retirement in the spring of 2027.
H2: The End of the Ronaldo-Messi International Era
His departure also completes a remarkable changing of the guard in world soccer. His great rival, Lionel Messi, retired from international football with Argentina earlier this year, meaning the two players who defined a generation have now both played their final competitive matches for their countries.
For Portugal, the debate about whether Ronaldo stayed too long will continue. So will the records, the Euro 2016 trophy, and the two Nations League titles — the honors that arrived only after he helped change what his country believed it could achieve.