Cristiano Ronaldo retires from international football

Cristiano Ronaldo says he is retiring from international football, ending a Portugal career that has brought him a record 146 goals and 234 appearances for his country.

The 41-year-old announced his decision in an Instagram video, saying he would hand back Portugal’s number seven shirt after 23 years. “A journey that began in August 2003 and changed my life forever has come to an end,” he said.

The announcement comes weeks after Ronaldo left Portugal’s training camp following a dispute with new coach Jorge Jesus. Ronaldo said Jesus had broken his word twice; he later apologised for leaving and said he remained available to play for Portugal. The Portuguese Football Federation imposed a 30-day suspension and a fine, but the suspension did not cover any Portugal matches.

Ronaldo did not refer to the dispute in his farewell video, though he said he had made mistakes. “I never gave up. And above all I never stopped feeling proud to represent Portugal,” he said.

He played in six European Championships, winning the tournament with Portugal in 2016, and helped the team win the Nations League in 2019 and 2025. Portugal were runners-up at Euro 2004. The side did not reach a World Cup semi-final during his international career.

The federation said it wanted to organise a tribute to Ronaldo. Portugal are due to announce their squad for this month’s Nations League fixtures on Friday.