Cristiano Ronaldo retires from Portugal after 23 years and a record 146 international goals
Cristiano Ronaldo, 41, has retired from international football after a fall-out with Portugal coach Jorge Jesus. He will keep playing for Al Nassr as he chases 1,000 career goals.
Cristiano Ronaldo has retired from international football, ending a 23-year career with Portugal that made him the top scorer in the history of men's international football.
The 41-year-old announced the decision on social media on Thursday with the caption "Portugal will always be in me," Sky Sports reported. "It was not an easy decision," he wrote, according to ESPN.
Ronaldo scored 146 goals for Portugal, both outlets reported, and is also the leading appearance-maker in men's international football.
A fall-out with the coach
The decision comes after a public falling-out with Portugal's new head coach, Jorge Jesus.
During the last international break, Ronaldo walked out of the squad after a dispute with Jesus over playing time, ESPN reported. The Portuguese Football Federation suspended him for 30 days. In a 2-1 win in Norway on 4 October, he was an unused substitute for the first time in 18 years.
Ronaldo later apologised to his teammates but not to Jesus, whom he accused of breaking promises about his playing time, according to ESPN.
Trophies and records
Ronaldo made his debut for Portugal in August 2003. He captained the team to its first major title at Euro 2016, and to UEFA Nations League wins in 2019 and 2025. He never won the World Cup, though he played in his sixth this summer.
"No captain walks alone and you're all part of my story," he wrote to his teammates and coaches.
The Portuguese Football Federation praised his "unconditional love" for the national shirt and promised a tribute.
Still chasing 1,000
Ronaldo is not leaving football yet. He will keep playing for Al Nassr in Saudi Arabia, ESPN reported. He has scored 985 career goals and is chasing 1,000.
The federation ended its statement with a message for that goal: "Let's go for goal number 1,000!!!"
Sources
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Saad AliSaad Ali is the founder and editor of Signal 24. He writes about geopolitics, the Middle East and the stories shaping the world.
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