Ronaldo Retires From Portugal After 23 Years

Portugal's record goalscorer has handed back the number seven shirt, weeks after a public fallout with manager Jorge Jesus.

Cristiano Ronaldo has walked away from international football with 146 goals in 234 appearances for Portugal, both men's world records, ending a 23-year run in the red shirt with a video message to supporters on Thursday.

"To the Portuguese people, the day has come to hand back the number seven shirt of the national team that belongs to us all," Ronaldo said. "I never felt it was exclusively mine."

Ronaldo's Farewell Message to Portugal

The 41-year-old framed the decision as one made with feeling as much as logic, saying "there are decisions that are not made solely with the head; they are also made with the heart."

He looked back on a journey that "began in August 2003 and changed my life forever," and signed off with a nod to the squad he captained for so long: "No captain walks alone and you're all part of my story."

There was a reflective line about legacy too, as Ronaldo noted that "goals come and go, trophies end up in museums, and records are eventually broken." His own records won't be broken in a hurry.

The Portuguese Football Federation paid tribute straight away, calling him "the greatest player of all time" for many fans and promising a fitting farewell at a later date. It also had a parting message about the milestone still in front of him: "Let's go for goal number 1,000!!!"

The Jorge Jesus Fallout Behind Ronaldo's Exit

The announcement didn't come out of nowhere. Jesus, who coached Ronaldo at Al Nassr, took over the national side after Portugal's round of 16 exit to eventual champions Spain at the World Cup, and the relationship soured quickly.

During the last international window, Ronaldo sat out the entire 2-1 Nations League win in Norway as an unused substitute, the first time that had happened to him for Portugal in 18 years, and went straight down the tunnel at full time.

He then left the camp, accused Jesus of breaking promises over his playing time and was handed a 30-day suspension by the federation. ESPN reports he apologised to his teammates but not to the manager, and his final appearance turns out to be the 1-0 win over Wales in Lisbon on 24 September.

Jesus had publicly left the door open in October, saying the decision was Ronaldo's to make. Ronaldo has now made it.

Ronaldo's Portugal Career by the Numbers

• Appearances: 234, a men's international record
• Goals: 146, a men's international record
• International career: August 2003 to September 2026
• Major trophies: Euro 2016, UEFA Nations League 2019 and 2025
• World Cups: six, the latest in North America this year

The World Cup is the one major prize that never came, and this summer's exit to Spain turned out to be his last shot at it. With his tournament days now behind him, fans looking ahead can see where the next World Cup is being held and start thinking about who might finally lift it.

What Ronaldo's Retirement Means for Portugal

Portugal have coped fine so far, with Goncalo Ramos scoring the winner in Norway and Jesus's side then beating Denmark and Norway while Ronaldo was suspended, leaving them top of their Nations League group with four wins from four.

Jesus names his next squad for the home game against Denmark on 14 November and the trip to Wales on 17 November, and for the first time in more than two decades, there's no debate about whether Ronaldo is in it.

For punters, the bigger change could be in the goalscorer markets, where Ronaldo has been the default pick for most of the past 20 years.

With the spotlight now on Ramos and the rest of the Portugal attack, the Portugal odds for the Denmark and Wales games will be worth a look once Jesus confirms his squad.

Ronaldo isn't finished altogether. He'll keep playing for Al Nassr in Saudi Arabia, with 985 career goals to his name and the 1,000 mark firmly in his sights before he's expected to call time at the end of the season.

If that chase has you curious, it is worth seeing how his tally stacks up against the most goals ever scored across the game's history.