Cristiano Ronaldo has announced his intention to retire from international
football, bringing an end to one of the most remarkable careers in the history of the game. The Portugal captain confirmed his decision through a social media post on Thursday, revealing that he would 'hand back the number 7 shirt' following the November international break.
The 41-year-old leaves behind an extraordinary legacy in Portuguese football, having established himself as the most prolific goalscorer and the most-capped player in men's international football.
Ronaldo has represented Portugal in 234 matches, scoring an incredible 146 goals since making his international debut against Kazakhstan on August 20, 2003. His first international goal came against Greece during UEFA Euro 2004, a tournament that marked the beginning of his journey towards becoming one of football's greatest-ever players.
Cristiano Ronaldo's international career: Goals, appearances and records
Ronaldo's numbers for Portugal underline his extraordinary consistency and longevity at the international level. With 146 goals in 234 appearances, he remains comfortably ahead of every other player on the men's international goalscoring charts.
He has also registered 10 international hat-tricks,…