41-year-old football star Cristiano Ronaldo announces his retirement from the Portuguese national team.

Portuguese football legend Cristiano Ronaldo has officially announced the end of his 23-year career with the national team.

Since his debut in August 2003, the 41-year-old Cristiano Ronaldo has made 234 appearances for the national team and scored 146 goals, both of which are new records in the history of men's football.

In a touching personal video, Cristiano Ronaldo confirmed his decision to leave the team and fondly recalled his years wearing the national team jersey: "For the Portuguese people, today is the moment for me to hand over the number 7 jersey to the national team."

“I have never felt that it belongs to me alone, but for the past 23 years, I have had the privilege and the responsibility to wear it, defend it, and take it to stadiums around the world.”

Speaking about his retirement journey, Cristiano Ronaldo said, "Today is the time to hand it over to the future. It wasn't an easy decision, because some decisions are made not only with reason but also with heart. This journey, which began in August 2003 and completely changed my life, has now come to an end."

As a long-standing captain since 2008, Cristiano Ronaldo led the team to victory in the 2016 European Championship and the UEFA Nations League titles in 2019 and 2025. The Portuguese Football Federation subsequently issued a statement praising his extraordinary contributions and promising to organize a nationally celebrated tribute ceremony.

With his arch-rival Messi bidding farewell to the Argentine national team in October, Cristiano Ronaldo's retirement from the national team also marks the final curtain call of an era in international football.

Image source: Internet/ESPN official website