Cristiano Ronaldo ‌announced his intention ​to ⁠retire from the Portuguese ‌national team ‌on Thursday ‌(November 5, 2026) in ⁠a ⁠social media post.

The 41-year-old ​said ‌that he would ‘hand back the number ‌7 shirt’ ​after the November ⁠international break.

Ronaldo has ‌made 234 appearances for Portugal and scored ‌146 goals. He captained ⁠the team to their ⁠first major trophy at Euro 2016 and helped them win the 2019 and 2025 ​Nations Leagues.

He ​holds the all-time ⁠record for international ⁠appearances and ‌for international goals.

It was a sad ending to a lauded career that began more than two decades ago before Euro 2004 and finished with him walking out on the national team after falling out with coach Jorge Jesus.

He apologised and it was rumoured he intended to return to the international fold, but on Thursday (November 5, 2026) the five-time winner of the Ballon d’Or released a video on his Instagram account in which he said he had played his last match for Portugal.

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“To the Portuguese people, the day has come for me to hand back the No. 7 shirt of our national team,” the 41-year-old Ronaldo said in a long video message on social media.

“I never felt it belonged to me alone but for 23 years I had the privilege and the responsibility of wearing it, defending it and carrying it with me into stadiums all around the world.”

‘Will stay with me forever’

The Portuguese Football Federation said it would organise a “fitting tribute” to Ronaldo’s “immense career”.

Ronaldo will continue to play for his current club in Saudi Arabia, Al-Nassr, where he is under contract until June 2027.

In the highlight of his international career, Ronaldo won the European Championship with Portugal in 2016 in France, although he had to leave the field during the final with an injury.

“I won Euro 2016 and, for me, that’s just as important as the World Cup. It will stay with me forever,” he recalled.

At this year’s World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico, he scored three goals, but Portugal were knocked out in the last 16 by eventual winners Spain.

His departure from the international stage follows that of his long-term rival, Lionel Messi, who played his final match for Argentina last month.

(Inputs from Reuters, AFP and AP)