Cristiano Ronaldo announces his international retirement. The 41-year-old Portuguese striker formalized his decision on Thursday 5 November 2026 in a video published on his Instagram account. It ends a course started in August 2003, after 23 years under the national jersey. At the time of this announcement, he had 234 selections and 146 goals, two records in men’s international football. His departure opens a new stage for Portugal, a few weeks after his conflict with the breeder Jorge Jesus.
The message is addressed first to the Portuguese, including those living abroad. Ronaldo presents his departure as a difficult personal decision. He goes back to the link built with the supporters, his partners and the teams who accompanied him. The publication has a simple formula: « Portugal will always be in me ».
This announcement concerns national selection. It is not an immediate departure announcement from Al-Nassr, his club in Saudi Arabia. The two deadlines must remain distinct: the Portuguese captain leaves international football, while the continuation of his club career is another calendar.
Ronaldo announces retirement after 23 years of selection
In his video, the player uses the number 7 jersey to evoke transmission to subsequent generations. He thanked coaches, managers, medical staff, selection staff and his family. He also recognizes the defeats and the times when he did not meet the public’s expectations.
The tone of the message contrasts with that of his October communiqué, devoted to his disagreements with Jorge Jesus. This time, Ronaldo goes back to his collective journey. He insists on the people he met and what the national anthem represented before the meetings.
His announcement comes before Portugal’s next two meetings in the League of Nations. The selection is to receive Denmark on 14 November in Braga and then travel to Wales on 17 November in Cardiff. None of these matches can be presented, solely on the basis of the calendar, as a farewell meeting of the player.
A decision preceded by the September crisis
The question of its international future had taken on another dimension on 30 September. Ronaldo had left the Portuguese rally in Copenhagen on the eve of a match against Denmark. Three days earlier, he had stayed on the bench during the victory against Norway in Oslo, despite his warm-up.
On October 6, the player delivered his version of the talks with Jorge Jesus. He complained to the breeder that he had not kept his commitments on his use. He also apologized to the supporters and acknowledged that he should not have left the rally.
By that date Ronaldo was still excluding an immediate retirement. He said he was available for selection, subject to his physical condition and after a possible sanction. He also explained that he had considered a start after the World 2026. The president of the federation, Pedro Proença, then invited him to continue.
The announcement of 5 November therefore marks a change from this position. She ended the uncertainty about her willingness to continue with the national team. However, it does not allow the decision to be attributed to a single cause or to reconstitute the last private exchanges between the player and Portuguese officials.
234 selections and 146 goals at the time of departure
Ronaldo’s assessment shows the measure of this transition. With 234 appearances, he holds the men’s world record of selections. He had surpassed the former mark of the Kuwaiti Bader Al-Mutawa on 23 March 2023, against Liechtenstein. He had accompanied this record with two goals.
Its total of 146 achievements is also the reference in international men’s football. Ronaldo had taken the lead in this classification alone on 1 September 2021. His double against the Republic of Ireland allowed him to surpass Iranian Ali Daei.
Its longevity exceeds these two figures. After his goalless debut in 2003, he scored for Portugal every year from 2004 to 2026. This series covers 23 consecutive calendar years. It illustrates the long-term position of the striker in the selection, beyond the changes of coach and partners.
Three titles with Portugal
Its international course includes three major trophies with the selection: the Euro 2016, then the Leagues of Nations 2019 and 2025. These successes accompanied Portugal’s transition from a team regularly running in the final laps to a selection capable of winning finals.
The first licre remains that of 10 July 2016 at the Stade de France. Injured, Ronaldo had left the final against the French in the 25th minute. However, its partners had won the meeting, thanks to Eder’s goal in extension. The captain then raised the first great trophy in the history of the national team.
The last victory in the League of Nations, in June 2025 in Munich, had again placed it at the centre of the result. Ronaldo scored against Spain in a final finished at 2-2 after extension. Portugal had won the shootout on goal, five wins on three. At the age of 40, the attacker remained decisive in an international final.
He then played the World 2026. His two goals against Uzbekistan made him the first player to score in six World Cup editions. However, the latter had not brought Portugal the missing world title.
The selection must organize the continuation
Ronaldo’s departure also concerns the functioning of the team and its leadership. During the October crisis, Bruno Fernandes defended his place in the history of Portuguese football. On 3 October, the community rejected the idea of divisions in the group and called for respect for the various parties. These comments preceded the retirement announcement.
Jorge Jesus now has a public decision to prepare for further work. The selection addresses this transition by defending its title in the League of Nations. The meetings of Braga and Cardiff will observe his offensive choices and the division of responsibilities after the departure of his historic captain.
Cover Credit: photo of Portuguese-Iran archives, June 25, 2018, Mahdi Zare / Fars News Agency, Fars Media Corporation.Source photographundercC BY 4.0 license. IA-assisted editorial framing and dressing: Libnanews.
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