Cristiano Ronaldo set to retire from Portugal duty after historic international career

• Cristiano Ronaldo plans to retire from Portugal duty after the November 2026 international break.

• He leaves with men's international records of 234 appearances and 146 goals.

• He captained Portugal to three major titles: Euro 2016 and the Nations League in 2019 and 2025.

In a video shared on social media on Thursday, November 5, the 41-year-old said he was ready to hand over the iconic number seven shirt after 23 years with the national team.

“The day has come back for me to hand back the number 7 shirt of our national team,” he said. “I never felt it belonged to me alone. But for 23 years I had the privilege and the responsibility of wearing it, defending it, and carrying it with me into stadiums all around the world".

“Today, the time has come to pass it on to the future. It was not an easy decision. Because some decisions are not made with the mind alone. They are also made with the heart".

“A journey that began in August 2003 and changed my life forever has come to an end. When I look back at everything with the national team, I don’t just see the matches, goals, records or trophies."

“I see people. I see the Portuguese people living abroad who, for 90 minutes, felt a little closer to home. I see millions of Portuguese people I have never met but who became part of my life. Because at the end of the day, football is so much bigger than a game. Football is about people.”

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Ronaldo made his senior debut for Portugal on August 20, 2003, against Kazakhstan in a friendly. He scored his first international goal at the 2004 European Championship against Greece, beginning a goalscoring journey that would see him break several records.

His 146 goals make him the highest goalscorer in men's international football, ahead of Argentina's Lionel Messi, who has 126. He also holds the record for the most appearances, having moved past Kuwait's Bader Al-Mutawa's previous mark.

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Ronaldo's scoring record spans several competitions. He netted 41 times in World Cup qualifiers and another 41 in European Championship qualifying matches. He also scored 14 goals at the European Championship finals, the tournament's all-time record, and 11 at the FIFA World Cup.

His international career included appearances at six European Championships and six World Cups, making him one of the few players to feature in 12 editions of the two major international tournaments.

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The forward's most significant achievement with Portugal came in 2016, when he captained the country to its first European Championship title after a 1-0 extra-time victory over France. He later led the team to the 2019 and 2025 UEFA Nations League titles.

Ronaldo also recorded 10 international hat-tricks and scored in 23 consecutive calendar years after opening his international account in 2004.

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His departure leaves Portugal without the player who has defined its national team for more than two decades, with his records of 234 appearances and 146 goals setting a significant benchmark for future generations.