Cristiano Ronaldo retires from international football after 23-year Portugal career

Cristiano Ronaldo has announced his retirement from international football, ending a remarkable 23-year spell with Portugal that brought three major international trophies, 146 goals and a world-record 234 appearances.

The number seven’s career with his country included the joy of winning Euro 2016 and the UEFA Nations League in 2019 and 2025, as well as painful defeats, missed opportunities and some of football’s most memorable emotional moments.

Ronaldo made his Portugal debut on 20 August 2003, coming on as a second-half substitute in a 1-0 friendly victory over Kazakhstan. He was 18 and had attracted attention at Sporting CP before moving to Manchester United.

His first major tournament came at Euro 2004, hosted by Portugal. Ronaldo scored his first international goal against Greece in the opening match, although the hosts lost 2-1. Portugal reached the final, only to suffer another defeat by Greece, who won 1-0 in one of the competition’s biggest upsets.

Ronaldo was 19 when he cried at the final whistle, having seen his first chance to win a major trophy with Portugal disappear. He would wait 12 years for another opportunity.

At the 2006 World Cup in Germany, Ronaldo scored his first World Cup goal from the penalty spot in a 2-0 group-stage win over Iran. Portugal then beat the Netherlands and England, the latter on penalties, to reach the semi-finals for the first time in 40 years.

France ended their run with a 1-0 victory through Zinedine Zidane’s penalty, while Portugal finished fourth after losing to Germany in the third-place play-off. The tournament confirmed Ronaldo as a player capable of leading his country at the highest level.

Euro 2016 finally brought the long-awaited triumph. Portugal’s captain was injured and forced off in the 25th minute of the final against hosts France, but returned to the sidelines to encourage and direct his team-mates. Eder scored in extra time to give Portugal their first major trophy, 12 years after the heartbreak of 2004.

Two years later, Ronaldo produced one of his finest international performances against Spain at the 2018 World Cup in Russia. He scored a penalty, added a second after a mistake by David de Gea and completed his hat-trick with a late free-kick in a 3-3 draw. He became the first Portuguese player to score at four different World Cups, although Portugal later lost to Uruguay in the last 16.

In 2019, Ronaldo scored all three goals in Portugal’s 3-1 semi-final win over Switzerland in the inaugural UEFA Nations League. Goncalo Guedes then scored the only goal against the Netherlands in the final at Estadio do Dragao in Porto.

Ronaldo also surpassed Iran’s Ali Daei as the leading scorer in men’s international football. He scored twice against the Republic of Ireland in September 2021 to reach 111 goals, despite missing a penalty earlier in the match. His final total rose to 146 goals in 234 appearances.

The 2022 World Cup in Qatar ended in disappointment. Ronaldo was dropped for the knockout stages and came off the bench against Morocco in the quarter-final, but could not prevent a 1-0 defeat after Youssef En-Nesyri’s first-half goal. He left the pitch in tears, with his hopes of winning the World Cup over.

Portugal won the Nations League again in 2025, beating Spain on penalties after a 2-2 draw. Ronaldo scored Portugal’s second equaliser in the 61st minute before his side won the shootout 5-3, becoming the first country to lift the trophy twice.

His final international episode involved a dispute with Portugal manager Jorge Jesus after Ronaldo was left on the bench in a 2-1 Nations League win over Norway. Ronaldo left the camp, saying agreements over his role and involvement had not been respected, and the disagreement intensified through public comments from both sides.

On 5 November 2026, Ronaldo confirmed he would retire before the November international break, closing a Portugal career defined by records, trophies, tears and an enduring connection with his country.