Cristiano Ronaldo retires from international football after 234 caps for Portugal

Cristiano Ronaldo has retired from international football, bringing the curtain down on a 23-year Portugal career that spanned 234 caps — the most in men’s international history. The 41-year-old Al-Nassr forward announced the decision via a five-minute video message directed at Portuguese supporters, released ahead of the November squad announcement.

Ronaldo’s final appearance came as an unused substitute when Portugal defeated Norway in the UEFA Nations League in September. He subsequently withdrew from the squad’s October camp, and his retirement statement confirms he will not return.

In the address, Ronaldo framed his decision as one made with both head and heart. “The day has come to hand back the shirt and the captain’s armband of the national team that belongs to all of us,” he said. “I never felt that it was exclusively mine, but for 23 years, I had the privilege and responsibility of wearing it, defending it, and carrying it with me to stadiums all around the world.”

Reflecting on what the national team meant to him beyond statistics, Ronaldo spoke of the human connections the game created. “When I look back and think about everything I experienced with the national team, I don’t just see matches, goals, records, or trophies. I see people. I see immigrants who, for 90 minutes, felt a little closer to Portugal.”

He acknowledged the lows alongside the highs. “There were defeats that still hurt to remember today. I also failed. I also suffered. There were moments when I couldn’t give the Portuguese people what they wanted so badly. But I never gave up.”

Ronaldo’s international career began in August 2003 and included a European Championship triumph in 2016 and a Nations League title in 2019. He leaves as Portugal’s all-time leading scorer and the most-capped outfield player in the history of the men’s game.

“Goals come and go, trophies end up in museums, records are eventually broken,” he said, “but there is something that time can never erase — the place I hold in people’s hearts.”