Cristiano Ronaldo has hung up his Portugal boots, ending a 23-year international run as the Seleção's all-time leading scorer.
The end of an era has arrived for Portugal. Cristiano Ronaldo has announced his retirement from international football, closing a 23-year chapter that redefined what the national team could achieve.
The 41-year-old shared the news on social media, looking back on the journey that began with his debut in August 2003. He spoke about the sacrifices along the way and thanked the millions of supporters who backed him through every high and low.
Ronaldo leaves as Portugal's all-time top scorer, with 146 goals in 234 appearances. His biggest moment came at Euro 2016, when he captained the nation to its first major continental crown. He later added two UEFA Nations League titles, in 2019 and 2025, to a legacy few players in the sport can match.
The former Real Madrid, Juventus and Manchester United star is not done yet. He will now focus fully on club football with Al-Nassr, where he is chasing the 1,000-goal mark. Sitting on 985 goals for club and country, he is 15 away from a milestone that once seemed untouchable.
