SOCCER
Cristiano Ronaldo Announces Retirement From Portugal National Team
Ronaldo announced his international retirement Thursday after 234 appearances and 146 goals for Portugal.
Cristiano Ronaldo announced his retirement from Portugal’s national team Thursday, ending an international career in which he scored 146 goals in 234 appearances.
The 41-year-old made the announcement in a video posted on social media. Portugal’s football federation thanked its former captain and said it intended to organize a tribute, according to a federation statement reproduced by Portuguese broadcaster SPORT TV.
Ronaldo first played for the senior national team in 2003. He helped Portugal win the 2016 European Championship and the Nations League in 2019 and 2025.
The announcement concerns international football. Ronaldo remains with Saudi club Al Nassr, where he is pursuing the 1,000-goal career mark.
Sources and notes
- FIFA, Nov. 5, 2026: https://www.fifa.com/en/tournaments/mens/worldcup/articles/cristiano-ronaldo-portugal-retirement
- RTP, Nov. 5, 2026: https://www.rtp.pt/noticias/selecao-nacional/cristiano-ronaldo-diz-adeus-a-selecao-em-video-nas-redes-sociais_d1777045
- Portugal federation statement reproduced by SPORT TV, Nov. 5, 2026: https://www.sporttv.pt/noticias/863582/fpf-despede-se-de-ronaldo-e-anuncia-homenagem
- Photo: Bryan Berlin / Wikimedia Commons, source crop, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Cristiano_Ronaldo_Croatia_v_Portugal_2_July_2026-154(cropped).jpg ; CC BY 4.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
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