Football GOAT Cristiano Ronaldo announces International retirement at the age of 41

CRISTIANO RONALDO, the Portuguese football superstar, has announced retirement on Thursday November 5, 2026 from the national team marking the end of his 23 years long journey. In a long video message he, shared across his social media platforms, said, “Portugal will always be in me.” Although the striker would continue to play at the club level with Saudi Arabia's Al-Nassar.

The 41 year old player represented his country in a record 234 games with an astonishing score of 146 goals, highest international goals at a national level by any player in the world. “The day has come for me to hand back the Number 7 shirt to our national team,” the charismatic striker said in the beginning of the message.

Ronaldo made his debut at the age of 18 on August 20, 2003 against Kazakhstan and his first international goal came against Greece during UEFA Euro 2004, a tournament where he announced to the world his arrival to become the one of the all time best in the world. 

Ronaldo’s major triumph with the national team came in 2016 where he led his team to secure Portugal their first Euro cup, the biggest football tournament among the European countries. He, along with the Argentinian superstar Lionel Messi, is considered the best football player around the world. Although he never lifted a FIFA world cup trophy a long time dream of his which is unlikely to be fulfilled now.

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The rift with the coach that prompts him to take retirement 

On September 30, 2026, Ronaldo took a quick departure ahead of Portugal’s game with Denmark without a permission, sparking the rumours of his retirement. This came after the head coach of Portugal Jorge Jesus said in a press conference that the five time Ballon d’or winner would miss the game against Denmark, a back to back absence for Ronaldo from the matches of Nations League Final. In the previous match against Norway, on September 27, 2026, he was also on the bench.

“Following the national team manager’s press conference, and after a conversation with the President of the Portuguese Football Federation, I ⁠⁠have decided to leave ⁠⁠the national team’s training camp,” Ronaldo wrote on Instagram.

Jesus, who has also coached Ronaldo during his tenure with Al-Nassr said that it is solely up to Ronaldo to decide how he would end his time with the national team. “In my first call-up, I said, ‘I need you, I need you to be close to me, playing or not playing, I need you’. And now I’m saying ⁠⁠⁠⁠the same thing,” the coach said.

Later Ronaldo alleged Jesus at first said that he would miss games against Norway and Denmark but later gave a call to be prepared to play for 30 minutes ahead the game with Norway.  

“Everyone knows the rest. I warmed up from half-time onwards, watched the minutes tick by and wasn’t called on,” Ronaldo said. He added that it was the second time the coach had broken his promise so he left the training camp without encountering more broken promises further.

Although Jesus had denied that he didn’t make any such agreement with Ronaldo but welcomed him to join the national team after Portugal’s 2-1 victory over Norway. 

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Ronaldo later apologized and said he would be available for the international selection. Later he was imposed a penalty of 30 days suspension and $287.16 fine by  the Portuguese Football Federation.  

"I spent my life working to become the best player in the world. Today I realise that my greatest victory was having deserved the ​honour of representing the best country in the world," said Ronaldo in his retirement statement.

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