Lucrezia Ciotti Cristiano Ronaldo is saying goodbye to the Portuguese national team after more than two decades as a key player. At 41, CR7 is closing an extraordinary chapter in his career, leaving behind a legacy of records, goals, and trophies. The announcement came on social media, with a lengthy message to fans: " The day has come to return the number 7 shirt ."
A decision that ends an era for Portuguese football.
Cristiano Ronaldo bids farewell to Portugal, ending an era after 23 years with the national team.
Cristiano Ronaldo is retiring from the Portuguese national team. At 41 , the champion announced his international retirement in a lengthy message posted on social media, accompanied by a video on Instagram.
Thus ends an adventure that began in August 2003 and became one of the most important in the history of football: CR7 says goodbye to Portugal after 234 appearances, 146 goals and 45 assists , confirming himself as the player with the most appearances and goals in the history of the men's national team.
The decision came on the eve of the final call-up for the upcoming Nations League matches against Denmark and Wales, after weeks of tension with coach Jorge Jesus.
" The day has come for the Portuguese to return the number 7 shirt of the national team to all of us , " Ronaldo began, explaining that he had made a decision that was anything but simple: " It was not an easy decision, because there are decisions that are not made only with the head. They are also made with the heart . "
His relationship with the national team had gone through a complicated phase after the 2026 World Cup , which ended with elimination in the round of 16 against Spain. Following the elimination from the tournament, Roberto Martínez resigned as coach of the team, which was entrusted to Jorge Jesus, Ronaldo's former coach at Al-Nassr. On September 23, the striker said he had met with both the new coach and the federation president Pedro Proença, reiterating his desire to continue as long as he felt capable of contributing. However, the situation worsened after the match against Norway , which Portugal won 2-1 . According to CR7 himself, a schedule had been established with Jesus to manage his use and he was expected to come on the pitch for around 30 minutes . The player began warming up after half-time, but was not used . This led to accusations against the coach, who was held responsible for not respecting the agreements.
Despite a subsequent clarifying meeting, Ronaldo disputed the coach's public statements, believing them to be at odds with what had been discussed privately. On September 30, he therefore left the national team's training camp in Copenhagen , on the eve of the match against Denmark. He later acknowledged his mistake, apologizing to his teammates, while the Federation initiated disciplinary proceedings and imposed a 30-day precautionary suspension . His name nevertheless appeared on the preliminary list for the November fixtures, but, just hours before the publication of the final call-ups, scheduled for November 6 , the announcement arrived that definitively closed the matter.
Successes with Portugal and Cristiano Ronaldo's farewell message
In his lengthy message, Ronaldo retraced the most significant moments of his international career, recalling in particular the triumphs he achieved with the Portuguese jersey. Since making his debut at the age of 18 in 2003 , the champion has participated in six World Cups and contributed to the conquest of three major trophies : the 2016 European Championship, Portugal's first continental title, and the two Nations Leagues in 2019 and 2025. He was forced to leave the pitch due to injury in the European Championship final against France, but continued to support his teammates from the bench in the 1-0 extra-time victory.
He also played a decisive role in subsequent international successes: in the 2024/25 edition of the Nations League, he scored eight goals in nine matches , scoring in the semi-final against Germany and finding the net to make it 2-2 in the final against Spain, which was then won on penalties. At the last World Cup, he also became the first player to score in six different editions of the competition . In greeting the fans, CR7 wanted to underline the human value of his journey, going beyond statistics, records, and trophies. " Football is much more than a game. Football is people , " he wrote, recalling the emotion of listening to the national anthem alongside his teammates and supporters who had come from all over the world.
He then dedicated words of gratitude to the team, the coaches, the managers, the doctors, the physiotherapists , and all the people who have supported him throughout these years, without forgetting his family: " I had the privilege of being your captain, but no captain walks alone . " His record also included difficult moments and occasions in which he failed to meet the expectations of his compatriots. " Goals fade, cups remain in museums, records end up being broken. But there is something that time can never erase: the place we hold in people's hearts , " he said, reiterating that he has never lost the pride of representing his country.
The champion then turned his thoughts to the new generations, expressing the hope that Portugal can continue to produce talent capable of pursuing great goals: " Portugal will always need young people who dream, players who never give up . " Finally, a more personal passage in his farewell, referring to the dream that began as a child in Madeira and turned into an extraordinary career: " I have spent my life working to be the best player in the world. Today I understand that the greatest victory was having deserved to represent the most beautiful country in the world . "
Retiring from the national team doesn't mean the end of his playing career, however: Ronaldo will continue to play for Al-Nassr and hasn't abandoned his goal of reaching a thousand career goals . "The number 7 shirt remains, and the pride of having worn it will be mine forever. Portugal will always be within me ," he concluded.