Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal story ends after years of controversy and conflict

Cristiano Ronaldo has announced his retirement from international football after a career with Portugal that included 234 appearances, major trophies and a series of high-profile disputes involving managers, officials, team-mates and the captain’s armband.

The latest controversy came during Portugal’s Nations League trip to Norway. Ronaldo remained an unused substitute throughout the match, the first time in 6,678 days that he had been named in a Portugal squad without starting or coming on. After the final whistle, he went straight to the dressing room instead of joining his team-mates in celebrating the victory or greeting the supporters.

He then left Portugal’s training camp in Copenhagen on the eve of the match against Denmark. The developments eventually led to his suspension before Thursday’s announcement that he would end his international career.

‘Speak to Carlos Queiroz’

Ronaldo’s relationship with Portugal manager Luiz Felipe Scolari was relatively calm during Scolari’s time in charge between 2003 and 2008. Tensions emerged under Carlos Queiroz, who managed the side from 2008 to 2010.

Ronaldo missed a friendly against Liechtenstein on 12 August 2009 because of influenza. The relationship deteriorated further at the 2010 World Cup, particularly during Portugal’s last-16 defeat by Spain on 29 June.

Television cameras showed the forward appearing frustrated by some of Queiroz’s decisions before David Villa scored Spain’s winning goal in the 63rd minute. Asked to explain Portugal’s elimination, the Real Madrid player replied: “Speak to Carlos Queiroz.”

Queiroz left his post in September 2010 and was replaced by Paulo Bento, who later admitted that his relationship with Ronaldo had worsened.

“If you ask me whether the relationship is as it was at the beginning, the answer is no,” Bento told Antena 1 in May. “And if maintaining the relationship requires me to give up my principles… no. There must be hierarchies and they must be respected.”

The captain’s armband becomes a flashpoint

Under Fernando Santos, Ronaldo returned to the centre of controversy away from the pitch. On 22 June 2016, hours before Portugal’s decisive group match against Hungary in Lyon, he threw a CMTV microphone into a lake.

Portugal went on to win Euro 2016 and later the Nations League in 2019, strengthening Ronaldo’s relationship with Santos. However, two incidents in 2021 again involved the captain’s armband.

Against Serbia in World Cup qualifying on 27 March, Ronaldo believed a late shot had crossed the line. The referee disagreed, and the Portugal captain was booked after protesting. He left the pitch angrily and threw his armband down before entering the dressing room.

Three months later, during a 1-0 defeat by Belgium in the last 16 of Euro 2020 on 27 June, Ronaldo dropped and kicked the armband in the tunnel at La Cartuja in Seville before a member of the coaching staff intervened.

Dispute with Santos at the 2022 World Cup

In Portugal’s final group match against South Korea at the 2022 World Cup, Ronaldo started despite qualification already being secured. Santos substituted him in the 66th minute, a decision Ronaldo appeared unhappy with.

He was left out of the starting XI against Switzerland, with Goncalo Ramos replacing him and scoring a hat-trick in a 6-1 victory. Ramos kept his place against Morocco, while Ronaldo came on in the 51st minute. Portugal lost 1-0, and it proved to be Santos’ final match in charge.

Santos said in an interview with A Bola in November 2023 that his “very strong” relationship with Ronaldo had been badly damaged after the Switzerland match.

“It is true that on the morning of the game, when I explained to him that he would not play and why he would not play, he misunderstood it,” Santos said. “Do I understand his reaction? Yes, I understand it.”

Further controversy before his international retirement

Roberto Martinez enjoyed a close and calm relationship with Ronaldo during his first two years as Portugal manager after replacing Santos.

That changed on 13 November 2025, when Ronaldo was sent off for elbowing an opponent during a 2-0 win against the Republic of Ireland in a match that could have secured Portugal’s qualification for the 2026 World Cup.

Qualification was confirmed in the next game, a 9-1 victory over Armenia, which Ronaldo missed at the Estadio do Dragao.

His involvement at the 2026 World Cup attracted further criticism as he grew older. The appointment of Jorge Jesus, who had worked with Ronaldo during the previous season, appeared to offer the prospect of a calmer period.

Instead, questions over Ronaldo’s position in the national team were followed by his departure from the Copenhagen camp, suspension and announcement of his international retirement.