Cristiano Ronaldo announces retirement from international football after 23 years with Portugal

Cristiano Ronaldo on Thursday, 5 November, announced his retirement from international football, ending a 23-year career with Portugal, per The Times of India, Asianet Newsable and The Tribune (ANI). This piece is as of the evening of 5 November.

The announcement

Ronaldo, 41, spoke in a video message. The Times of India describes a five-minute video shared on his official social media accounts, naming X among them, while Asianet Newsable and The Tribune say it was shared on Instagram. He told the Portuguese people the day had come "to hand back the number 7 shirt of our National Team" (Asianet Newsable, Daily Excelsior). He added that his journey on the pitch with the national team was ending and "I leave with my head held high", per The Times of India. The Portugal captain also said it was not an easy decision, because some are made with the heart as well as the mind (The Tribune).

The record

Ronaldo made his international debut in August 2003 as a substitute against Kazakhstan, according to Asianet Newsable and The Tribune. He leaves as Portugal's all-time top scorer with 146 goals in 234 appearances (The Tribune). The Times of India calls him the most-capped player and highest scorer in men's international football history, and says he represented Portugal at six World Cups and captained the team to the 2016 European Championship and the UEFA Nations League in 2019 and 2025.