November 5
"The Portuguese" brings his Portugal career to an end after 234 matches and 146 goals
In a major surprise, Cristiano Ronaldo, captain of the Portuguese national team, has announced his retirement from international football—a move that comes after he had previously expressed a desire to continue. He now joins his long-time rival, Lionel Messi, who announced his own retirement about a month ago.
Ronaldo has brought the curtain down on his international career, 23 years after his debut. He revealed the decision in a poignant farewell message posted on his social media accounts this Thursday morning.
The Portugal captain did not wait for manager Jorge Jesus to announce his squad—scheduled for tomorrow, Friday—ahead of the November international break, before making his decision known.
The Al-Nassr star chose to bid farewell to the national team in a video message lasting nearly five minutes, in which he addressed the Portuguese fans.
Ronaldo concluded his international career having played 234 matches, during which he scored 146 goals and secured three titles with his national team—most notably the UEFA European Championship (Euro 2016), in addition to two UEFA Nations League trophies.
Rebellion, Suspension, and Retirement
Ronaldo brought his time with the national team to an end following a crisis that captured the attention of the sports world during the most recent international break, raising questions about his relationship with head coach Jorge Jesus.
Tensions flared within the Portuguese national team after Ronaldo left the squad’s training camp in Denmark without permission.
Ronaldo had already served a 30-day suspension and paid a fine of 255 euros for leaving the camp.
Although the Portuguese star had previously expressed his willingness to accept any disciplinary consequences for his actions—which he ultimately did—the crisis extended beyond mere disciplinary measures; the relationship between him and Jesus failed to recover from the rift that had developed.
Ronaldo felt betrayed by the explanations provided by the Portuguese coach, viewing them as a violation of a clear agreement the two had reached during a prior meeting. This prompted him to clarify his position in a sharply worded message.
The tension persisted, casting doubt on whether Ronaldo would be included in Portugal’s upcoming squad for their final two UEFA Nations League group-stage matches—against Denmark on November 14 and Wales on November 17. Although Ronaldo’s name appeared on the national team’s preliminary squad list for the upcoming two matches, his decision to retire has put a definitive end to speculation regarding his return—meaning the player who wears the number 7 jersey will remain absent from his national side for the remainder of his football career.
The Portuguese Football Federation, represented by its president, Pedro Proença, had attempted to intervene to contain the crisis and bring Ronaldo back into the national team fold; however, these mediation efforts failed to restore the situation to normal. Below is the full text of Ronaldo’s farewell message:
"To the people of Portugal, the day has come for me to return the number 7 jersey to our national team—a team that belongs to us all. I never felt it was mine alone; rather, for 23 years, I have had the honor and the responsibility of wearing it, defending it, and carrying it onto pitches across the globe.
Today, the moment has arrived to pass the torch to the future. It was not an easy decision; some choices are not made by the mind alone—the heart plays its part, too.
I am concluding a journey that began in August 2003—a journey that changed my life forever. When I look back and reflect on everything I experienced with the national team, I don’t just see matches, goals, records, or trophies; I see people. I see immigrants who felt that Portugal became a little closer to them during those 90 minutes; I see millions of Portuguese people whom I may never have met personally, yet who were an integral part of my life. Ultimately, football is much more than just a game—it is about people.
Throughout my career with the national team, I always sought to push my own limits. I wanted to win, to be the best, and to make history. I was always demanding of myself, always striving for more, and I truly believed in our potential to go the distance. I gave everything I had for this jersey.
We shared perfect evenings and nights, achieving victories I will never forget—just as we endured defeats that still sting when I recall them today. There were times when I fell short, when I suffered, and when I couldn’t deliver what the Portuguese people so deeply desired—but I never gave up." Never—and most importantly, I have never lost my sense of pride in representing Portugal.
Over the years, I have learned some very simple truths: goals fade, trophies remain in museums, and records are eventually broken by others. Yet, there is one thing that time can never erase: the place we hold in people’s hearts. If I have ever brought you joy, if I have ever led you to embrace someone after one of my goals, helped you forget a difficult moment, or made you feel proud of our country—then everything I have done was worth it. Because that is also what it means to be Portuguese: we suffer together, we rise together, and we believe once again.
Portugal will always need young people who dream, players who never give up, and new generations who believe that reaching places no one has ever reached before is possible. A nation that continues to forge new heroes is a nation that never stops believing in itself.
To my teammates on the national team, I want to say something special: thank you for every sprint, every embrace, every discussion, every moment of silence before stepping onto the pitch, every victory we celebrated together, and every defeat that made us stronger. It has been an honor to be your captain—but no captain walks alone, and you are all part of my story.
To all the coaches, officials, doctors, physiotherapists, kit staff, and everyone who has worked with me over the years—thank you. Many of you may not appear in the photographs, but without you, none of those images would have been possible.
To my family—thank you for sharing this dream with me, and for understanding the long absences and the sacrifices made. And for the moments when the national team had to occupy a space in your own lives—if we reached this point, it is because we have always stood together as one.
To the Portuguese people, and to all those of Portuguese descent scattered across the globe, I would like to say one last thing. There is an image I will carry with me forever: the moment the national anthem plays. I look around and see my teammates, the stands filled with children, mothers, fathers, and grandparents—I see Portuguese people who traveled great distances just to be there. In those few minutes, all our differences fade away; there are no clubs, no colors, no social classes, no professions, and no conflicting opinions—only one shared passion: Portugal.
I will carry this feeling with me for the rest of my life. Today, my journey on the pitch with the national team comes to an end. I leave with my head held high, proud of the path I have taken, and knowing that I gave everything I had for Portugal. Yet, I will never stop being one of you; I will continue to suffer, rejoice, and celebrate every victory for Portugal from the bottom of my heart.
I spent my life working to become the best player in the world, but today I realize that my greatest triumph was earning the honor of representing the best country in the world.
Thank you for these 23 years, and thank you for believing in me.
