Portuguese football star, Cristiano Ronaldo, has officially announced his retirement from international football, bringing an end to a 23-year career with his national team.
The 41-year-old made his senior debut for Portugal in 2003. He went on to play 234 times for his country and scored 146 goals, with both figures standing as all-time records in the men’s game.
Announcing his exit through a video broadcast on his social media platforms, Ronaldo addressed his home country as he prepared to drop the national colours.
The five-time Ballon d’Or winner reflected on the sacrifices, victories, and defeats throughout his international career. He expressed his appreciation to his teammates, coaches, family, and Portuguese supporters globally.
“To the Portuguese people, the day has come for me to hand back the number seven shirt of our national team. 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 football icon stated that representing his country remained his highest achievement on the global stage.
“The goals pass, the cups are in museums, the records end up being beaten. But there is something that time can never erase, the place we occupy in people’s hearts. Today I finish my walk on the pitch with the national team..I leave with my head held high, with pride in the path I took, and with the awareness that I gave everything I had for Portugal. I spent my life working to be the best player in the world. Today I realise that the greatest victory was to have deserved to represent the best country in the world”, Ronaldo stated.
The timing of Ronaldo’s departure comes on the heels of a strained relationship with Portugal manager Jorge Jesus.
During the previous international break, the forward left the training camp and headed straight to the dressing room after he was benched in a 2-1 Nations League victory over Norway, failing to applaud the travelling fans.
The action saw him sanctioned with a suspension from international duty and a fine. Ronaldo subsequently accused the coach of breaking a promise to deploy him as a substitute after he had already begun his warm-up.
Despite retiring from national duty, Ronaldo continues his club career with Saudi Pro League side Al Nassr. He is currently chasing a milestone of 1,000 career goals, sitting at 985 strikes.
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