Football has just lost one of its defining international careers. On Thursday, November 5, 2026, Cristiano Ronaldo announced that he is retiring from the Portugal national team, bringing down the curtain on a 23-year journey that began when he was an 18-year-old winger and ended with him as the most prolific goalscorer — and the most capped player — in the history of men’s international football.
BLUF: Cristiano Ronaldo announced on Thursday, November 5, 2026, that he is retiring from international football after 234 appearances and a record 146 goals for Portugal. The 41-year-old revealed the decision in a video in which he read a letter to supporters, saying: “The day has come for me to hand back the number 7 shirt of our national team.” He will continue playing club football for Al-Nassr in Saudi Arabia.
At a Glance
- Who: Cristiano Ronaldo, 41, Portugal captain and all-time leading scorer in men’s international football
- What: Retirement from international football after 23 years with Portugal
- When: Announced Thursday, November 5, 2026
- The numbers: 234 appearances and 146 goals — both world records in men’s international football
- Trophies: Euro 2016 and the UEFA Nations League in 2019 and 2025
- Final match: A 1-0 Nations League win over Wales on September 24, 2026
- What next: Ronaldo continues at club level with Al-Nassr; the Portuguese Football Federation says it will organise a fitting tribute
The Announcement
Ronaldo delivered the news himself, in a long video posted to his social media accounts in which he sat reading a letter to supporters, intercut with footage from across his international career. “The day has come for me to hand back the number 7 shirt of our national team,” he said. “It was not an easy decision, because there are decisions that are not made only with the head. They are also made with the heart.”
“If I ever made you happy, if one of my goals ever made you hug someone, forget a worry or feel proud of our country, then it was all worth it,” he added, captioning the post: “Portugal will always be a part of me.”
The announcement came ahead of the international break later this month, when Portugal are due to play Denmark and Wales in the UEFA Nations League. The Portuguese Football Federation (FPF) said in a statement on Thursday that it “refuses to let this farewell take place without due tribute”, adding that it was its “firm and immense desire” to organise a farewell in which fans and the country could applaud a player who had given them so much.
A Career Without Parallel
Ronaldo made his Portugal debut in August 2003, aged 18. What followed was a career that rewrote the record books: no man has played more international matches or scored more international goals. His 146 goals in 234 appearances put him clear of every other player to have represented a national team.
The high point came in 2016, when he captained Portugal to their first major trophy at the European Championship in France. He added two UEFA Nations League titles, in 2019 and again in 2025, and at the 2026 World Cup he became the first player to play and score in six consecutive World Cups, netting three goals at the tournament. Portugal’s campaign ended in the round of 16 with defeat to Spain — a result Ronaldo later described with sadness, saying he was leaving the tournament with a clear conscience after giving it his all.
His announcement comes shortly after his great rival Lionel Messi also brought his international career with Argentina to an end, closing the book on an era in which the two players defined a generation of football.
The Fallout With Jorge Jesus
The ending, though, was far from the fairytale farewell many had imagined. Ronaldo’s final weeks with the national team were dominated by a public falling-out with Portugal head coach Jorge Jesus, who had previously managed him at Al-Nassr.
On September 30, Ronaldo abruptly left Portugal’s training camp in Copenhagen, a day before a Nations League fixture against Denmark, after Jesus confirmed he would be left out of the starting line-up for a second consecutive match. Ronaldo later said the coach had broken his word twice — first by not playing him in an earlier match in Oslo, and then by refusing to stick to what he said was a pre-approved script at a press conference. In a 1,966-word statement on October 6, he accused Jesus of broken promises and said he had decided to leave the camp “without waiting for any further broken promises”.
The FPF responded with a relatively light punishment: a €255 (about £213) fine and a 30-day suspension that did not cause him to miss any matches. His last appearance for his country had already come on September 24, in the 1-0 Nations League win over Wales. After Ronaldo confirmed his decision on Thursday, Jesus said he had previously hoped to bring the forward back into the setup — but stressed that retirement was Ronaldo’s decision.
What Happens Next
Ronaldo is not retiring from football altogether. He still plays for Saudi Arabian side Al-Nassr, where he is closing in on 1,000 career goals — he currently stands on 985. Reports suggest he is expected to finish his club career at the end of this season.
For Portugal, the focus now turns to life after their greatest player. The FPF is due to announce its squad for the November fixtures against Denmark on November 14 and Wales on November 17, and the federation has promised a tribute worthy of a career that spanned more than two decades. Whether that takes the form of a farewell match remains to be seen — but for Portuguese football, the number 7 shirt will never quite be the same again.
People Also Ask
Why has Cristiano Ronaldo retired from international football?
Cristiano Ronaldo announced his retirement from international football on November 5, 2026, ending a 23-year career with Portugal. He did not give a specific reason, saying only that it was not an easy decision and that it was made with the heart as well as the head. The announcement followed weeks of speculation after a public falling-out with Portugal head coach Jorge Jesus, though Ronaldo did not mention the rift in his retirement video.
How many goals did Cristiano Ronaldo score for Portugal?
Ronaldo scored a record 146 goals in 234 appearances for Portugal. Both figures are all-time records in men’s international football — no man has scored more goals or made more appearances for his national team.
What trophies did Ronaldo win with Portugal?
Ronaldo captained Portugal to their first major trophy at Euro 2016, and helped them win the UEFA Nations League in 2019 and again in 2025. He also became the first player to play and score in six consecutive World Cups at the 2026 edition.
Is Cristiano Ronaldo retiring from football completely?
No. Ronaldo is only retiring from international football. He will continue playing club football for Al-Nassr in Saudi Arabia, where he is closing in on 1,000 career goals — he currently has 985.