Ronaldo ended his career in Portugal
The conflict that arose between him and head coach Jorge Jesus ended with the player leaving the team completely.
Ronaldo ended his career in Portugal
Captain of the Portugal national football team, Cristiano Ronaldo, announced that he has retired from the national team.
He published a five-minute address on his social media pages. In it, he stated that leaving the national team was not an easy decision for him, but that "today the time has come."
"It was not an easy decision, because some decisions are made not with the mind, but only with the heart.
When I think about what I experienced with the national team, I don't just see the matches, goals, records, or trophies. I see people in it. I see millions of Portuguese who, even if I haven't met them in person, became a part of my life.
Football is not just a game. It is something bigger than a game. Football is people.
There is one scene that will always remain in my memory – the moment when the national anthem begins to sound.
Today, my journey with the national team comes to an end. I am leaving with my head held high, proud of the path I have walked and knowing that I gave my all for Portugal. But I will always remain one of you.
Thank you for giving me the opportunity to live the dream that began when I was a little boy running after a ball in Madeira. Thank you for these 23 years and for believing in me," Ronaldo said.
The 41-year-old footballer had been playing for the national team since 2003. During this time, he appeared in 234 matches and scored 146 goals – a world record for goals scored for national teams.
In 2016, Portugal became the European champion with Cristiano Ronaldo, and won the Nations League in 2019 and 2025.
The end of his career in the national team comes as a result of a conflict that arose with team manager Jorge Jesus.
On September 27, 2026, the player was left on the bench in a Nations League match against Norway (2:1), and a few days later, before the match against Denmark, he left the team camp due to words spoken by the head coach. The coach had said then that he might not play him against Denmark either.