Cristiano Ronaldo Retires from International Football After 23 Years with Portugal

Cristiano Ronaldo announced the end of his Portugal international career on 5 November 2026, with the news dominating world sports coverage on 6 November. The 41-year-old posted a farewell message: 'To the Portuguese people, the day has come to hand back the number seven shirt of the national team that belongs to us all.' His retirement followed a bitter fallout with head coach Jorge Jesus: Ronaldo had walked out during an October international window and was given a 30-day suspension by the Portuguese football federation. His final match for Portugal was a 1-0 win over Wales on 24 September 2026. Over 234 appearances and 23 years since his debut in August 2003, Ronaldo scored 146 goals for Portugal, the most by any male international player in history. He became an unused substitute for the first time in 18 years at an earlier October fixture before the fallout intensified. He will continue playing for Al Nassr in Saudi Arabia, where he is 15 goals short of 1,000 career goals. Portugal's football federation said a formal tribute would be arranged later.