Cristiano Ronaldo retires from international football after 23 years with Portugal - Uganda Broadcasting Corporation

The five-time Ballon d'Or winner ends his international career aged 41, having scored a world-record 146 goals in 234 appearances and helped Portugal win three major trophies. Cristiano Ronaldo has announced his retirement from international football, ending a 23-year career with Portugal that saw him become the most prolific goalscorer in the history of men's international football.

The 41-year-old forward confirmed his decision on Thursday, 5 November 2026, in an emotional video posted on Instagram, bringing to an end a career that began in August 2003 and included six World Cup appearances, a European Championship triumph and two UEFA Nations League titles. Ronaldo leaves the Portuguese national team with 146 goals in 234 appearances, holding the men's international records for both goals and matches played.

His departure comes four months after Portugal's elimination from the 2026 FIFA World Cup, where the former Manchester United, Real Madrid and Juventus forward made his final appearance on football's biggest international stage. "To the Portuguese people, the day has come for me to hand back the number seven shirt of our national team," Ronaldo said in his farewell message.

"I never felt it belonged to me alone, but for 23 years I had the privilege and the responsibility of wearing it, defending it and carrying it with me into stadiums all around the world." The five-time Ballon d'Or winner acknowledged the difficulty of ending a career that had defined much of his life. "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," he added.

The Portuguese Football Federation has announced plans to organise a tribute in recognition of Ronaldo's contribution to the national team. From teenage international to Portugal's greatest goalscorer Portuguese forward Cristiano Ronaldo cries, 04 July 2004 at the Luz stadium in Lisbon, at the end of the Euro 2004 final match between Portugal and Greece at the European Nations football championship in Portugal.

Greece won the match 1 to 0 to be crowned champions of Europe. He quickly established himself in Portugal's attack and became one of the central figures in a generation that included Luís Figo, Deco, Ricardo Carvalho and later Pepe.

His first major international tournament came at Euro 2004, which Portugal hosted. Playing alongside Figo and other established internationals, the teenage Ronaldo helped Portugal reach the final, only for Greece to produce one of the biggest upsets in European Championship history with a 1-0 victory in Lisbon.

Two years later, Ronaldo was part of the Portuguese side that reached the semi-finals of the 2006 World Cup in Germany.