Cristiano Ronaldo ends Portugal career after 23 years with emotional farewell

Cristiano Ronaldo has announced his retirement from international football, bringing his 23-year Portugal career to an end in a surprise decision despite previously saying he wanted to continue.

The Portugal captain confirmed the news in an emotional video message lasting about five minutes, posted on social media on Thursday morning.

Ronaldo made his decision before manager Jorge Jesus names his squad on Friday for November’s international fixtures. Portugal are due to face Denmark on 14 November and Wales on 17 November in the final two matches of their Nations League group stage.

The 41-year-old forward concludes his international career with 234 appearances and 146 goals. He won three major trophies with Portugal, including Euro 2016 and two Nations League titles.

Ronaldo’s retirement follows a dispute during the previous international break, when he left Portugal’s training camp in Denmark without permission.

He had completed a 30-day suspension and paid a fine of 255 euros for leaving the camp. Ronaldo had previously said he was prepared to accept any punishment resulting from his actions.

However, tensions between the player and Jorge Jesus continued. Ronaldo felt betrayed by explanatory comments made by the manager, believing they breached an explicit agreement reached during an earlier meeting. He responded with a strongly worded statement.

There had been uncertainty over whether Ronaldo would be included in Portugal’s squad for the upcoming matches, although his name appeared on the preliminary list. His retirement ends speculation over a return and means the number seven will not play for his country again.

Portuguese Football Federation president Pedro Proenca had attempted to mediate and restore the forward to the squad, but those efforts did not resolve the dispute.

In his farewell message, Ronaldo said:

“To the Portuguese people, today is the day I return the number seven shirt to all of us. I never felt it belonged only to me, but for 23 years I had the honour and responsibility of wearing it, defending it and taking it with me to stadiums all over the world.

“Today, the time has come to pass the flag on to the future. It was not an easy decision. Some decisions are not made by the mind alone; the heart also has a part to play.

“I am ending a journey that began in August 2003 and changed my life forever. When I look back at everything I experienced with the national team, I do not see only matches, goals, records and trophies. I see people.

“I see migrants who felt Portugal was closer to them for 90 minutes. I see millions of Portuguese people I never met personally, but who were part of my life. In the end, football is much more than a game. It is about people.

“Throughout my career with the national team, I tried to go beyond my limits. I wanted to win, to be the best and to make history. I was always demanding of myself, always aiming for more and believing we could go further. I gave everything I had for this shirt.

“We experienced perfect evenings and nights, and achieved victories I will never forget. We also suffered defeats that still hurt when I remember them. At times I failed, struggled and went through moments when I could not give the Portuguese people what they wanted so deeply, but I never gave up. Most importantly, I never lost my pride in representing Portugal.

“Over the years I learned some very simple things. Goals pass, trophies remain in museums and records are eventually broken. But there is something time can never erase: the place we hold in people’s hearts.

“If I ever made you happy, made you hug someone after one of my goals, helped you forget a difficult moment or made you proud of our country, then everything I did was worthwhile. That is also what being Portuguese means: we suffer together, rise together and believe again.

“Portugal will always need young people who dream, players who never give up and new generations who believe it is possible to reach places nobody has reached before. A country that continues to create new heroes is a country that never stops believing in itself.

“To my team-mates, I want to say a special thank you. Thank you for every run, every hug, every argument and every moment of silence before entering the pitch. Thank you for every victory we celebrated together and every defeat that made us stronger.

“It was an honour to be your captain, but no captain walks alone. You are part of my story.

“To all the coaches, officials, doctors, physiotherapists, kit staff and everyone who worked with me over the years, thank you. Many of you never appeared in the photographs, but without you none of those photographs would have been possible.

“To my family, thank you for sharing this dream with me and for understanding the absences, sacrifices and moments when the national team also had to take up part of your lives. If I reached this point, it is because we were always united.

“To the Portuguese people and all Portuguese people around the world, I want to say one final thing. There is one image I will always carry with me: the moment the national anthem is played.

“I look around and see my team-mates, the stands, children, mothers, fathers and grandparents. I see Portuguese people who have travelled long distances simply to be there. During those minutes, we stop being different. There are no clubs, colours, social classes, professions or opinions. There is only one passion: Portugal.

“I will carry that feeling with me for the rest of my life. Today, my journey on the pitch with the national team ends. I leave with my head held high, proud of the path I took and knowing I gave everything I had for Portugal.

“But I will never stop being one of you. I will continue to suffer, celebrate and rejoice in every Portugal victory from the bottom of my heart.

“I spent my life working to become the best player in the world, but I now understand that the greatest victory was deserving the chance to represent the best country in the world.

“Thank you for these 23 years. Thank you for believing in me and giving me the chance to live a dream that began when I was just a child on the island of Madeira, running after a ball.

“The number seven shirt will remain, and my pride in wearing it will belong to me forever. Portugal will always be inside me.

“Goodbye forever, Cristiano Ronaldo.”