Ronaldo Ends 23-Year Portugal Career With Emotional Farewell (Img: IANS)
New Delhi: Football legend Cristiano Ronaldo has announced his retirement from international football, ending a remarkable 23-year career with Portugal. The forward leaves behind an extraordinary legacy as the highest goal scorer and most-capped player in men's international football.
The 41-year-old confirmed his decision in an emotional video shared on social media, reflecting on his journey since making his senior debut for Portugal in August 2003.
Ronaldo put an end to his international career with 146 goals in 234 appearances, establishing records that have cemented his place among the greatest footballers in the history of the game.
In his farewell message, Ronaldo described representing Portugal as the greatest privilege of his career. He said the time had come to hand over the iconic number seven jersey to the next generation.
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"To the Portuguese, the day has come to return the number 7 jersey of the national team to all of us. I never felt like it was exclusively mine, but for 23 years I had the privilege and responsibility to wear it, to defend it and to take it with me to the stadiums all over the world. Today, the time has come to give it to the future," he said in a video posted on X.
Portugal estará sempre em mim https://t.co/dnFj51rxmh
— Cristiano Ronaldo (@Cristiano) November 5, 2026
Reflecting on his international journey, Ronaldo acknowledged that his career had been marked by unforgettable victories and difficult defeats. However, he stressed that his commitment to Portugal had never diminished.
"There were perfect afternoons and nights; there were victories that I will never forget, and there were defeats that I still have a hard time remembering today. I also failed, I also suffered, there were also 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.
Ronaldo also expressed gratitude to the teammates, coaches, support staff and family members who supported him throughout his international career.
“To all the coaches, directors, doctors, physiotherapists, dressers, 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 these photos would have been possible. To my family, thank you for sharing this dream with me," he said.
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"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 so far, it was because we were always at hand," he added.
Ronaldo's retirement marks the end of an era for Portugal, with the responsibility of carrying forward the national team's legacy now passing to a new generation of players.
Despite stepping away from international football, Ronaldo made it clear that his bond with Portugal would remain unchanged.
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"Today I finish my walk on the pitch with the national team; I leave with my head held high, with pride in the path I took, and with the awareness that I gave everything I had for Portugal. But I will never stop being one of you," he said.
"Today I realize that the greatest victory was to have deserved to represent the best country in the world. Thank you for these 23 years. Thank you for believing in me," he concluded.
