Cristiano Ronaldo Retires After 234 International Appearances
The 41-year-old striker ends his national team career with 146 goals, a record for Portugal, following a final match in September.
By Jason Kovalenko ·
Cristiano Ronaldo has officially ended his international career with the Portuguese national team.
The 41-year-old forward announced his departure on Thursday via a video message on social media. He stated that the time had arrived to pass the number seven shirt to future players. He described the decision as one made with the heart as much as the mind, concluding a journey that began in August 2003.
Ronaldo finishes his tenure as the all-time top scorer in men's international soccer. He recorded 146 goals in 234 appearances for Portugal. This goal total surpasses the previous national record of nine set by Eusébio. He is also the first man to score in six World Cup tournaments and reached 11 goals at this year's World Cup.
His final appearance for the national team occurred on Sept. 24 in a 1-0 home victory over Wales in the Nations League. He subsequently stepped away from the squad after coach Jorge Jesus benched him for the next fixture. Jesus indicated he did not intend to start Ronaldo in the following match, prompting the striker to leave the training camp. Jesus later said Ronaldo would be welcome back, but the decision to return rested with the player.
Ronaldo will continue playing at the club level with Al-Nassr in Saudi Arabia. He is expected to finish the current season with the club. He currently holds 985 career goals and is pursuing a 1,000th career goal. He has scored for Portugal in 23 consecutive calendar years, from 2004 through 2026.
His time with the national team coincided with Portugal's rise in global soccer. Before his debut, Portugal had qualified for the World Cup only three times and the Euros only three times. Under his influence, the team qualified for every tournament. Portugal won its first major title at Euro 2016 and secured Nations League championships in 2019 and 2025. Ronaldo holds the record for the most international appearances with 234 and the most Euro appearances with 30.
The Portuguese soccer federation released a statement expressing deep gratitude for his service. It described him as the greatest player of all time and said he raised the country's profile. The federation plans to organize a tribute event where fans can celebrate his contribution. Ronaldo's career began before Euro 2004, when he replaced Luís Figo in a friendly against Kazakhstan. Portugal had never won a major trophy prior to that era.
