LISBON (Realist English). On 5 November, Cristiano Ronaldo announced his retirement from the Portugal national team. The 41-year-old forward, who plays for Saudi club Al Nassr, posted a video address on social media entitled “Portugal will always be in me,” in which he confirmed his decision to hang up his boots at international level.
The conflict that accelerated the decision
Ronaldo’s departure was the result of a sharp deterioration in relations with Portugal head coach Jorge Jesus. During the previous international break in September 2026, Ronaldo left the team camp without permission after not taking the field in the Nations League match against Norway (2:1). The forward believed the coach had broken a promise to bring him on as a substitute.
The incident led to disciplinary sanctions: a 30-day suspension from national team matches and a fine of €255. Although Ronaldo served the punishment and could formally have returned for the November matches against Denmark and Wales, he chose to definitively close the international chapter of his career.
Records that will last forever
Ronaldo ends his international career with an impressive set of achievements:
- 234 appearances for the national team — a world record among men;
- 146 goals — the absolute record for international goals in men’s football;
- 45 assists;
- victory at Euro 2016 — the only major tournament in the history of the Portugal national team;
- two Nations League titles (2019, 2025);
- a record 14 goals at European Championships across six tournaments.
What lies behind the numbers
Beyond the dry statistics, Ronaldo’s departure marks a change of era for Portuguese football. The legendary forward did not hide that the decision was difficult for him. “Today the moment has come to pass this shirt on to the future. It was not an easy decision, because some decisions are made not only with the head but also with the heart,” he said in his address.
Ronaldo stressed that he leaves the national team with his head held high: “I leave with pride in the journey I have made and with the awareness that I gave Portugal everything I could.”
Reaction in Portugal
The news of Ronaldo’s departure provoked a mixed reaction at home. Some fans and experts expressed regret that the legend was ending his international career amid a conflict with the coach rather than after a triumphant tournament. Others, by contrast, saw the decision as timely, given the player’s age and reduced role in the team.
The Portuguese Football Federation issued a statement expressing its “deep gratitude” to Ronaldo for his contribution to the national team’s successes.
What next for the Portugal national team
Ronaldo’s departure accelerates the rebuilding of the team that Jesus began back in September. Already in their first matches without the captain, Portugal secured a convincing 4:2 victory over Denmark, with Gonçalo Ramos and Rafael Leão, who received the number seven shirt, taking up positions in attack.
Ronaldo himself will continue his career at Al Nassr, where he is pursuing the milestone of 1,000 career goals — he currently has 985.
The end of Ronaldo’s international career is not merely a personnel decision but a symbolic milestone for Portuguese and world football. The departure came not after a triumphant tournament but amid a conflict with the coach, which adds bitterness to an already difficult farewell.
However, the records — 234 appearances and 146 goals — remain beyond the reach of competitors, and Euro 2016 is forever written into history. For Portugal, this is the beginning of a new era in which the team must prove it can win without its long-time leader. For Ronaldo himself, it is a chance to focus on his club career and the pursuit of a thousand goals, leaving behind an era that made him one of the greatest players in history.
