Photo: Collected
Cristiano Ronaldo will no longer pull on Portugal’s red shirt. The 41-year-old forward confirmed on Thursday, November 5, that he is stepping away from the national team, drawing a line under an international journey that began in 2003 and rewrote the record books.
He broke the news in a video message on his social media channels. Speaking directly to Portuguese fans, he said the moment had arrived to give up the No. 7 jersey he had worn for so long. He also admitted that the choice had weighed on him emotionally as much as rationally.
Numbers that may never be matched
Ronaldo bows out with 234 caps and 146 goals, both all-time highs in men’s international football. Over more than two decades, he appeared at six World Cups and six European Championships. As captain, he led Portugal to the Euro 2016 title, the country’s first major international honour, and later to Nations League triumphs in 2019 and 2025.
How it came to this
The announcement caps a difficult stretch. Spain knocked Portugal out of the 2026 World Cup with a 1-0 win in the round of 16 in Dallas on July 6, and the debate over Ronaldo’s place in the starting line-up grew louder afterwards.
Tensions boiled over in September. Days after Portugal beat Wales 2-0 in Lisbon in the Nations League, Ronaldo left the team hotel in Copenhagen ahead of the Denmark fixture. He explained that he took the step after a press conference by coach Jorge Jesus and talks with Pedro Proença, president of the Portuguese Football Federation (FPF). The federation responded with a suspension and disciplinary proceedings. An apology followed, which briefly suggested he would carry on.
Many had expected him to target the 2030 World Cup, which Portugal will stage jointly with Spain and Morocco. He will now watch that tournament from the outside.
A tribute in the works
The FPF has promised to mark his departure with a special tribute. Portugal’s squad for this month’s Nations League matches, against Denmark at home and Wales away, is expected to be named on Friday. It remains unclear whether Ronaldo will be given a farewell appearance.
The decision comes only weeks after his great rival Lionel Messi retired from Argentina duty in October. Ronaldo will continue at club level with Saudi side Al-Nassr.
Sources: NBC Sports, CNN, Saudi Gazette / Reuters, Bleacher Report, Heavy
