Cristiano Ronaldo brings his legendary career with Portugal to an end

A legend. The greatest soccer player in Portugal's history. Cristiano Ronaldo announced his decision to never again wear the jersey of the Portuguese national team, after 23 years of fighting for his country on the field and leading it to two major titles: the 2016 European Championship and the 2019 UEFA Nations League.

"The day has come to give back the No. 7 jersey of our national team to everyone. I'm bringing to a close a journey that began in August 2003 and changed my life forever," said CR7 in a video posted on social media. "It wasn't an easy decision, because there are decisions that aren't made just with the head, they're also made with the heart. Today, my journey with the national team comes to an end."

"I wanted to win; I wanted to be the best. I wanted to make history. I've always been hard on myself; I've always wanted more; I've always believed we could go further, and I gave everything I had for this jersey. There were perfect afternoons and evenings; there were victories I'll never forget and defeats that still linger in my mind. I, too, made mistakes; I, too, suffered. There were moments when I couldn't give the Portuguese people what I wanted so badly. But I never gave up, and above all, I never stopped feeling proud to represent Portugal," he added.

"Portugal will always be in my heart," he said.

Cristiano Ronaldo not only ends his international career having given his country its two greatest triumphs. He also leaves as the player with the most appearances (234) and as the all-time leading scorer (146).

Cristiano Ronaldo's career with Portugal

The Portuguese star's journey wearing his country's jersey began on Aug. 20, 2003. On that day, Portugal's then-coach, Luiz Felipe Scolari, gave Cristiano Ronaldo the opportunity to achieve one of his many professional goals. His debut came in a friendly match against Kazakhstan, when he was just 18 years old.

He scored his first goal for Portugal on June 12, 2004, during the 2004 European Championship against Greece. That goal was a header, like many others he has scored throughout his professional career.

That tournament, in which Portugal finished as runner-up, served to establish Cristiano Ronaldo as his country's new soccer leader. However, he wasn't named team captain until 2008.

In 2014, he surpassed striker Pauleta to become Portugal's all-time leading scorer. Since then, he has done nothing but score goals, reaching a total of 146, which brings his career with the national team to a close.

He achieved glory with Portugal in 2016, when he led his country to victory in the European Championship that year. Three years later, he led the team to victory in the UEFA Nations League.

As for the World Cup, Cristiano Ronaldo is one of only three players in history to have competed in six tournaments, along with Leo Messi and Mexico's Guillermo Ochoa. Unlike the other two, he is the only player in history to have scored at least one goal in six World Cups.

His last appearance was on Sept. 24, 2026, against Wales in the UEFA Nations League. Cristiano started the game and played 67 minutes before being substituted. That decision led to a public conflict with Portugal's head coach, Jorge Jesus, which has led to his permanent retirement from the national team.