Cristiano Ronaldo retires from Portugal at 41
Cristiano Ronaldo retires from the Portugal national team at 41 after 23 years, 234 caps, 146 goals and three titles
Cristiano Ronaldo, Portugal's all-time top scorer, announced on Thursday his retirement from the Portugal national team at the age of 41, bringing an end to 23 years of an extraordinary career marked by the conquest of a European Championship and two Nations Leagues, but also by a turbulent ending due to his disagreements with the head coach, Jorge Jesus.
Unprecedented numbers
The Al Nassr forward, a five-time Ballon d'Or winner, bids farewell to the 'quinas' side with 234 caps, 146 goals and three titles, figures unprecedented in men's international football that sum up his longevity and the prominence he acquired in his country's sport.
A turbulent ending
The announcement, made on his social media, brings an end to a trajectory that began on August 20, 2003 against Kazakhstan and that turned the player born in Funchal (Madeira) into the main international reference of Portuguese football for more than two decades.
His farewell also comes after weeks of uncertainty over his confrontation with Jorge Jesus, who had succeeded the Spaniard Roberto Martínez after the 2026 World Cup and who, despite the conflict, had left the door open for the captain's return.EFE
Cristiano Ronaldo dos Santos Aveiro
Portugal
