Cristiano Ronaldo Announces Retirement From Portugal National Team
- Cristiano Ronaldo announced his retirement from international football on Thursday, ending a career that began in August 2003
- The 41-year-old forward had walked out of the Portugal camp during the last international break following a disagreement with coach Jorge Jesus
- Ronaldo leaves international football as the men's all-time record scorer with 146 goals for Portugal
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Cristiano Ronaldo has retired from international football, ending a 23-year career with the Portugal national team.
The Al Nassr striker confirmed the decision on Thursday through a lengthy video message posted to YouTube, saying he had chosen to hand back the No. 7 shirt he wore for over two decades.
Source: Getty Images
According to GOAL, the 41-year-old's exit brings the curtain down on an international record of 146 goals, the highest by any male player in history.
A career defined by dedication
Ronaldo made his debut for Portugal in August 2003 and went on to become one of the most recognisable figures in football history.
In his retirement statement, he reflected on the deeper meaning of his international journey.
"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," he said.
He acknowledged the difficulty of the choice, adding:
"It was not an easy decision, because some decisions are not made with the mind alone. They are also made with the heart."
Ronaldo also paid tribute to the Portuguese diaspora, saying he saw "Portuguese people living abroad who, for 90 minutes, felt a little closer to home" when he looked back at his time with the squad.
A fallout that changed everything
According to Yahoo Sport, Ronaldo's retirement follows a turbulent few months in his relationship with the Portugal setup.
After the World Cup, he had indicated he was not ready to walk away, partly because he wanted to help the team defend its UEFA Nations League title.
That position shifted after a confrontation with head coach Jorge Jesus during the previous international window over Ronaldo's role in the side.
The forward left the Portugal camp mid-window following that dispute.
The Portuguese Football Federation responded with a 30-day ban for his conduct, and while he had been welcomed back and was expected to feature in the November Nations League fixtures, he has now chosen a different path.
Before the fallout, Ronaldo had described defending the Nations League crown and reaching 1,000 career goals as his two remaining ambitions in football.
What comes next for Ronaldo
Despite retiring from international duty, Ronaldo confirmed he will continue playing club football with Saudi Arabian side Al Nassr.
His pursuit of 1,000 career goals remains ongoing, and he had previously suggested a full retirement from football could come as soon as next year.
Portugal will now begin the process of moving forward without the man who has been the face of its football for more than two decades.
Portugal suspends Ronaldo for 30 days
Legit.ng previously reported the Portuguese Football Federation (FPF) suspended Ronaldo for 30 days and fined him 255 euros (N381,327) after he abandoned the national team camp in September.
The FPF disciplinary committee announced the sanctions following Ronaldo's departure from Portugal's Nations League squad, which came after he was left on the bench during the match against Norway and subsequently discovered he would not feature from the start in the fixture against Denmark on October 1.
Source: Legit.ng
