Ronaldo announced the decision through a video message to the Portuguese people, officially surrendering his iconic number 7 shirt. The move came after he left a national team training camp upon learning he would be benched for upcoming fixtures. Despite an open offer from Jesus to return, the five-time Ballon d'Or winner chose to conclude his country career with 146 goals across 234 caps. He now shifts his complete focus to finishing the current club season with Al-Nassr.
Key points
The veteran attacker will continue playing for Saudi Arabian side Al-Nassr until the conc…: The veteran attacker will continue playing for Saudi Arabian side Al-Nassr until the conclusion of the current season.
Ronaldo remains in active pursuit of 1,000 professional career goals, currently sitting a…: Ronaldo remains in active pursuit of 1,000 professional career goals, currently sitting at 985 total strikes.
The Portuguese Football Federation formally honored the outgoing forward with deep gratit…: The Portuguese Football Federation formally honored the outgoing forward with deep gratitude and immense admiration for his contributions.
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Cristiano
Ronaldo has officially brought the curtain down on his illustrious international career, announcing his retirement from Portugal duty after 23 years, six World Cup appearances and a record-breaking haul of 146 goals in 234 matches.
The five-time Ballon d'Or winner made the announcement on Thursday through an emotional video message addressed to the Portuguese people, confirming that his journey with the national team had reached its end. However, the 40-year-old is not retiring from professional football and is expected to continue playing for Saudi Arabian club Al-Nassr until the end of the current season.
Ronaldo's international career began in August 2003, before Euro 2004, and saw him become one of the most influential figures in Portuguese football history. He captained the country to its maiden major international trophy at Euro 2016 and subsequently lifted the inaugural UEFA Nations League title in 2019.
He also holds the men's all-time international scoring record with 146 goals, having represented Portugal in six editions of the FIFA World Cup. Ronaldo is currently pursuing the remarkable milestone of 1,000 career goals, with his tally…
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