Cristiano Ronaldo has announced his retirement from international football, saying he will hand back Portugal’s number 7 shirt after the November international break.
The 41-year-old made the announcement in a social media post on Thursday, the Daily Mirror reported, carrying a Reuters account.
“Today, the time has come to pass it on to the future. It was not an easy decision.”
He thanked supporters “for these 23 years” and said “Portugal will always be a part of me”, NewsFirst reported, carrying a Sky News account.
The record he leaves
Ronaldo made 234 appearances for Portugal and scored 146 goals. He holds the all-time record in both categories — most international appearances and most international goals by any player.
His reference to “these 23 years” places his debut in 2003. Neither filing lists his honours or states which match was his last for Portugal.
A difficult final year
The retirement follows a turbulent period in Ronaldo’s relationship with the national side. In October he was suspended by the Portuguese Football Federation after walking out of the national team’s camp during the October international window, in a dispute with coach Jorge Jesus. The federation opened disciplinary proceedings against him on 9 October. Neither of Thursday’s filings refers to that episode or says whether it bears on his decision.
The Sri Lanka connection
Both Sri Lankan outlets carried the announcement within minutes of each other on Thursday afternoon — the Daily Mirror at 4.17 p.m. and NewsFirst at 4.29 p.m. Portugal’s fixtures have a substantial following in Sri Lanka, where the FIFA World Cup 2026 was broadcast domestically by Maharaja Media.
Not reported
Neither filing says whether Ronaldo will play in the November fixtures before standing down, who is expected to inherit the number 7 shirt, or whether the announcement affects his club career with Al Nassr. Neither carries a response from the Portuguese Football Federation or from coach Jorge Jesus, and neither states whether the October disciplinary proceedings had concluded.
