LIVE TICKER
[Live wire]Connecting to the newsroom…
← Back to the news wire
Flesch Reading Ease: 38•276 words from the publisher
WorldPublished by BBC World • 11/5/2026, 11:56:02 AMOpen Original Report (BBC World) ↗

Ronaldo retires from Portugal duty

Portugal legend Cristiano Ronaldo says he is retiring from international football.

Ronaldo retires from Portugal duty
Image supplied by BBC World.

Reported by BBC World

Portugal legend Cristiano Ronaldo says he is retiring from international football.

The 41-year-old forward has scored 146 goals and won 234 caps for his country - both world records - since making his debut in 2003.

He walked out of the Portugal camp in September after being told he would not start the Nations League match against Denmark.

More from the original report

"To the Portuguese people, the day has come for me to hand back the number seven shirt of our national team," Ronaldo said in an Instagram video. , external

"I never felt it belonged to me alone, but for 23 years I had the privilege and responsibility of wearing it, defending it and carrying it with me into stadiums all around the world.

"Today the time has come to pass it on to the future. It was not an easy decision, because some decisions are not made with the mind alone - they are also made with the heart.

"A journey that began in August 2003 and changed my life forever has come to an end."

On Friday Portugal are set to announce their squad for November's Nations League fixtures - against Denmark at home and Wales away.

The Portugal Football Federation said it refuses to "let this farewell take place without due tribute".

A statement read: "It is our firm and immense desire to organise, plan, participate and actively collaborate in what will always be a fitting tribute to Cristiano Ronaldo's immense career, in which fans and the country can applaud and celebrate, once again, the player who has given us so much."

Ronaldo's great rival and Argentina legend Lionel Messi retired from international football in October.

Original Source Attribution
Published via BBC World • Source domain: bbc.com
Visit Original Source (BBC World) ↗

Client & Community Discussion (0 Comments)

Share your benchmark feedback, workflow questions, or implementation notes below.

● Live Comments Open
Instant publication • Moderated for technical relevance