Ronaldo Retires: 146 Goals, 234 Caps, 141 Wins
The 41-year-old forward ends a 23-year international career after 234 appearances and 146 goals.
By Abigail Brooks ·
Cristiano Ronaldo announced his retirement from international football on Wednesday. The 41-year-old forward ended his career with the Portuguese national team after 23 years of service. He made his debut for the country in August 2003.
Ronaldo holds the records for both most appearances and most goals in men's international football. He played 234 matches for Portugal and scored 146 goals. He also holds the individual record for most international victories, with 141 wins.
In a video posted to social media, the veteran striker addressed the Portuguese public directly. "To the Portuguese people, the day has come for me to hand back the number seven shirt of our national team," he said. "I never felt it belonged to me alone, but for 23 years I had the honour and the responsibility of wearing it, defending it and carrying it with me into stadiums all around the world."
The announcement follows a disciplinary action taken by the Portuguese Football Federation earlier this month. The federation suspended Ronaldo for 30 days and fined him 255 euros. The penalty came after he left the national team camp shortly before a Nations League match against Denmark. The incident stemmed from a dispute with head coach Jorge Jesus.
Ronaldo did not mention the suspension in his farewell message. However, he acknowledged that he had made errors during his tenure. "I made mistakes. I suffered. There were also moments where I couldn't give the Portuguese people what they so desperately wanted," he stated. "But I never gave up and, above all, I never stopped feeling proud to represent Portugal."
During his international career, Ronaldo played in six European Championships and six World Cups. Both are record figures for individual players. He led Portugal to victory in the 2016 European Championship and the Nations League in 2019 and 2025. World Cup success did not come during his time as a player.
The Portuguese Football Federation released a statement praising the former captain. The organization described him as the country's "eternal captain" and confirmed plans for a tribute event. "It is with a feeling of deep gratitude and immense admiration that the Portuguese Football Federation publicly praises and thanks Cristiano Ronaldo's absolutely extraordinary career at the service of our country," the statement read.
The federation said it would organize, plan, and actively collaborate on a celebration for the player. The goal is to allow fans and the country to applaud and celebrate the player who gave them so much. Ronaldo concluded his video by thanking the people who supported him. "Thank you for allowing me to live a dream that began when I was just a little boy in Madeira running after a football," he said.
