Symbolic illustration of a plain deep-red football shirt with the number 7 on its back hanging on a peg in a quiet, empty stadium tunnel at dusk, with a football resting on the floor nearby.
Sports & Cricket
Cristiano Ronaldo retires from international football
Cristiano Ronaldo has announced his retirement from international football, ending a 23-year Portugal career of 234 appearances and a record 146 goals after a falling-out with coach Jorge Jesus. He will keep playing club football for Al-Nassr.
⚡Key Highlights
Premium
Cristiano Ronaldo has announced his retirement from international football, ending a 23-year Portugal career of 234 appearances and a record 146 goals after a falling-out with coach Jorge Jesus
He will keep playing club football for Al-Nassr.
Key analysis, background details, and full reporting below.
Cristiano Ronaldo has announced his retirement from international football, closing a 23-year Portugal career of a record 234 appearances and 146 goals.
By StoryTimesNow News Desk — 06 November 2026, 11:07 AM IST
Illustration: a number 7 shirt hangs in an empty stadium tunnel.
Key Takeaways
What happened: Cristiano Ronaldo announced on Thursday, 5 November 2026, that he is retiring from international football after a 23-year career with Portugal.
The numbers: The 41-year-old made 234 appearances and scored 146 goals for Portugal, both men's international records. He played at six World Cups and won Euro 2016 and the Nations League in 2019 and 2025.
What next: Ronaldo will hand back the number 7 shirt after the November international break, but he will keep playing club football for Saudi side Al-Nassr.
Introduction
Cristiano Ronaldo has called time on his international career. The 41-year-old announced on Thursday, 5 November 2026, that he is retiring from the Portugal national team, ending a 23-year journey that made him the most-capped men's international and the highest scorer in the history of the international game.
What Happened?
Ronaldo announced his decision in a video message posted on social media on Thursday, saying he would hand back the number 7 shirt after the November international break. He gave no reason for the timing.
"It was not an easy decision, because there are decisions that are not made only with the head. They are also made with the heart," Ronaldo said. "If I ever made you happy, if one of my goals ever made you hug someone, forget a worry or feel proud of our country, then it was all worth it."
The announcement followed weeks of tension with Portugal coach Jorge Jesus. Ronaldo walked out of the national team's training camp on 30 September 2026, a day before a Nations League match against Denmark, after Jesus left him out of the starting line-up for a second consecutive game. The federation fined him 255 euros and imposed a 30-day suspension. Ronaldo later said the coach had broken his word to him twice. Jesus said on Thursday that he had hoped to bring Ronaldo back into the setup.
Why Does This Matter?
Ronaldo's international career is without parallel in the men's game. He debuted for Portugal in 2003 and went on to play 234 times and score 146 goals, both all-time records for a male international. He is the only player to have played and scored at six consecutive World Cups, from 2006 to 2026, scoring three goals at this year's tournament, where Spain knocked Portugal out in the round of 16.
He captained Portugal to its first major title at Euro 2016 and added Nations League triumphs in 2019 and 2025. For a generation, the number 7 shirt became inseparable from the national team.
The ending, though, is uneasy rather than ceremonial. His last appearance came in a 1-0 win over Wales on 24 September 2026, and his departure comes through a dispute over selection rather than a farewell match. The Portuguese Football Federation thanked him and said he should receive "the tribute he deserves", leaving open the possibility of a farewell on the pitch. Whether that happens remains unclear.
Important Details
Announcement: Thursday, 5 November 2026, in a video message on social media; he hands back the number 7 shirt after the November international break.
Career record: 234 appearances and 146 goals, both men's international records, in a 23-year career that began in 2003.
Trophies: European Championship 2016; Nations League 2019 and 2025. Six World Cups, 2006 to 2026.
The dispute: Ronaldo left camp on 30 September 2026 after Jesus left him out of the starting line-up for a second straight Nations League game; the federation fined him 255 euros and suspended him for 30 days.
Club future: Ronaldo continues with Al-Nassr, where he has played since 2023. His contract runs to June 2027, though he said in August 2026 that this is probably his last year of football.
Background and Context
Ronaldo had already signalled that the 2026 World Cup would be his last, saying in July: "Yes, it's my last one. Let's go and enjoy it." After the exit to Spain he said he was leaving with a clear conscience and would reflect with his family. Jesus and federation president Pedro Proenca persuaded him to continue, and he played against Wales in September. But the camp walkout a week later, and the fine and suspension that followed, left his place uncertain, and Thursday's announcement settled it.
What Happens Next?
Ronaldo's international career ends formally after the November international break, when he hands back the number 7 shirt. Portugal must now plan without their record scorer for the first time in more than two decades, while the federation weighs a farewell tribute. At club level, he carries on with Al-Nassr, with the question of full retirement still open after his August remark that this is probably his final year in the game.
What Readers Should Know
Ronaldo is retiring from international football only, not from football itself. He remains an Al-Nassr player, contracted until June 2027. His 234 caps and 146 goals are the men's international benchmarks.
FAQs
Is Cristiano Ronaldo retiring from football? No. He is retiring from international football with Portugal, but will continue playing club football for Al-Nassr in Saudi Arabia.
What are Ronaldo's Portugal records? He made 234 appearances and scored 146 goals, both men's international records, in a 23-year career from 2003 to 2026.
Why did Ronaldo retire from international football? He gave no reason, but it followed a public falling-out with coach Jorge Jesus, including Ronaldo walking out of the training camp on 30 September 2026.
What trophies did Ronaldo win with Portugal? Euro 2016 and the Nations League in 2019 and 2025. He also played at six World Cups, a record, and scored at all six.
Sources and Verification
All facts above are from reporting dated 5 November 2026 by the sources below, cross-checked across at least two of them. The key figures, the walkout, the fine and suspension, and the quotes are reported consistently by Reuters, Al Jazeera, USA Today and the Indian Express. All sources were accessed on 6 November 2026.
Verified 6 November 2026 from the sources above, all dated 5 November 2026. Where sources disagreed, this report uses only facts reported consistently across them.
