Portugal will always be in me: Cristiano Ronaldo retires from international football

Mangalore Today News Network

New Delhi, Nov 5, 2026: Cristiano Ronaldo, the Portuguese football legend who dazzled on the field and is regarded as one of the greatest players of all time, announced on Thursday that he was retiring from international football. It was a sad ending to a celebrated career that began more than two decades ago, ahead of Euro 2004, and finished with him walking away from the national team following a fallout with coach Jorge Jesus. The 41-year-old, who played 234 times for Portugal and scored 146 goals, clashed with Jesus last month after the coach opted not to use him in a Nations League match, prompting Ronaldo to leave the team camp. 

Cristiano Ronaldo’s announcement on Thursday ended a career that spanned six World Cups and included a European title and the men’s all-time international scoring record.

"To the Portuguese people, the day has come for me to hand back the No. 7 shirt of our national team,” the 41-year-old Ronaldo said in a long video message on social media. "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.”

Portugal estará sempre em mim https://t.co/dnFj51rxmh

— Cristiano Ronaldo (@Cristiano) November 5, 2026

In his farewell message, Ronaldo described representing Portugal as the greatest privilege of his career, saying the time had come to hand over the iconic No. 7 jersey to the next generation.

"To the Portuguese, the day has come to return the No. 7 jersey of the national team to all of us. I never felt it was exclusively mine, but for 23 years I had the privilege and responsibility to wear it, defend it, and take it with me to stadiums all over the world. Today, the time has come to give it to the future," he said in a video posted on X.

Reflecting on his journey, Ronaldo admitted that his career had been filled with unforgettable victories as well as difficult moments, but insisted that his commitment to the national team never wavered.

"There were perfect afternoons and nights; there were victories that I will never forget, and there were defeats that I still find difficult to remember today. I also failed, I also suffered, and there were times when I was not able to give the Portuguese what they wanted so much. But I never gave up. And above all, I never stopped feeling proud to represent Portugal," he said.

He also thanked his teammates, coaches, support staff, and family for standing by him throughout his international journey.

"To all the coaches, directors, doctors, physiotherapists, kit managers, employees, and so many people who have worked with me over the years, thank you. Many of you never appeared in the photos, but without you, none of those photos would have been possible. To my family, thank you for sharing this dream with me," he said.

"Thank you for understanding the absences, sacrifices, and moments when the national team had to occupy a space that also belonged to you. If I got this far, it was because you were always by my side," he added.

Ronaldo’s departure marks the end of an era for Portugal, with the responsibility of carrying the national team’s legacy forward now passing to a new generation.

However, Ronaldo made it clear that his association with the country would remain unchanged even after stepping away from international football.

"Today I finish my journey with the national team; I leave with my head held high, proud of the path I took and aware that I gave everything I had for Portugal. But I will never stop being one of you," he said.

"Today I realize that my greatest victory was earning the privilege of representing the best country in the world. Thank you for these 23 years. Thank you for believing in me," he concluded.