Ronaldo retires from Portugal after 23 years: 'The Number 7 shirt stays'
PTC Web Desk: Cristiano Ronaldo has ended his 23-year career with Portugal. The 41-year-old announced his retirement in an emotional video on social media, closing a chapter that began in August 2003.
Ronaldo finishes as the most-capped player and the top scorer in men’s international football, with 234 appearances and 146 goals. He said he would pass the iconic No. 7 shirt on to the next generation, calling it a hard decision.
“Today my journey on the pitch with the national team comes to an end,” he said. “I leave with my head held high, proud of the path I walked.” He added that the shirt stays with Portugal, but the pride of wearing it will be his forever.
The row with Jorge Jesus
The farewell comes after a rough few months. Trouble started on September 27, when Ronaldo stayed on the bench for Portugal’s 2-1 Nations League win over Norway. He said he had been told he would be rested for the Norway and Denmark games and was later promised about 30 minutes against Norway. He warmed up at half-time but never came on.
He was also unhappy about how it was explained publicly. Ronaldo said the two had agreed that Jesus would tell the media the reduced role was planned and not his request. According to him, Jesus’s comments at the press conference did not match that. Jesus said picking the team was his job and played down any big clash.
Ronaldo then left the camp in Copenhagen before the Denmark game, which drew criticism at home given he is captain. He later apologised and called it a mistake. The federation gave him a 30-day suspension and a fine of 255 euros, backdated so he stayed available for later matches. He had even thought of retiring after the 2026 World Cup, but federation president Pedro Proenca persuaded him to reconsider. Ronaldo has not said the dispute caused his retirement.
A career in numbers
Ronaldo debuted against Kazakhstan in 2003 and reached the Euro 2004 final at 19, where hosts Portugal lost to Greece. The semi-finals of the 2006 World Cup and Euro 2012 followed. At Euro 2016 he was captain and although a knee injury forced him off early in the final against France, Eder’s extra-time goal gave Portugal their first European title.
He added the 2019 Nations League, scoring a semi-final hat-trick against Switzerland and was part of the side that won it again in 2025, scoring against Spain in the final.
234 caps and 146 goals, both world records for men
First player to score at six different World Cups
Record 14 goals and 30 appearances at the European Championship
The one missing trophy
The World Cup never came. Portugal’s best finish was the 2006 semi-final, followed by a quarter-final exit to Morocco in 2022 and a last-16 loss to Spain in 2026.
Ronaldo is still chasing a personal milestone at Al Nassr. His career tally stands at 979 goals, with 1,000 in sight.
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- PTC NEWS
