Cristiano Ronaldo announces retirement from Portugal national team
Cristiano Ronaldo has ended his Portugal career, leaving international football with world-record totals of 146 goals and 234 caps after departing the squad last month when told he would not start against Denmark.
Cristiano Ronaldo has announced his retirement from international football, closing a Portugal career that began with his debut in 2003 and produced world records for both goals and appearances. The forward, now 41, scored 146 goals and won 234 caps for his country, according to the article.
The announcement follows his departure from the Portugal camp last month after he was informed he would not start the Nations League match against Denmark. That exit preceded the retirement confirmation, which Ronaldo delivered in an Instagram video.
In his statement, Ronaldo framed the decision around the symbolic weight of the national team's number seven shirt, saying it had never belonged to him alone but that wearing, defending and carrying it for 23 years had been both a privilege and a responsibility. He said he was handing it on to the future and described the choice as one made with the heart as well as the mind.
He also marked the span of the journey, noting it began in August 2003 and 'changed my life forever'. The article does not include further details beyond his remarks and the circumstances of his recent departure from the squad.
Reaction beyond Ronaldo's own comments was not detailed in the source. The announcement brings to a close an international career defined by the records cited in the report, while the manner of his exit from the camp last month is likely to remain part of the discussion around his departure.
