Portuguese football icon, Cristiano Ronaldo, has announced his retirement from international football, bringing an end to an illustrious 23-year career with the national team.

The 41-year-old forward made the announcement on Thursday in an emotional video message shared across his social media platforms.

Ronaldo leaves the international stage as Portugal’s most-capped player and all-time leading goalscorer, with 234 appearances and a record 146 goals.

During his remarkable career, he captained Portugal to its maiden UEFA European Championship triumph in 2016 and played a key role in the country’s UEFA Nations League victories in 2019 and 2025.

He also became the first player in football history to score at six different FIFA World Cup tournaments.

In his farewell message, Ronaldo thanked his teammates, coaches, family and millions of Portuguese fans for their support throughout his time with the national team.

The former Manchester United and Real Madrid star described representing Portugal as the greatest honour of his football career.

His international retirement, however, will not bring his professional playing career to an end, as he is expected to continue featuring for Saudi Arabian club Al-Nassr.

Ronaldo’s departure marks the end of an extraordinary era in Portuguese football, having established himself as one of the greatest players in the history of the international game.