Cristiano Ronaldo has announced his retirement from international football with Portugal, ending a 23-year career with the national team. He shared the news on 5 November 2026 in a video on Instagram, saying “the day has come for me to hand back the No. 7 shirt”.
A record career
- 234 matches and 146 goals for Portugal — both men’s international world records
- International career since August 2003 — 23 years
- Scored at six World Cups, with 11 World Cup goals
- Won Euro 2016 and the Nations League in 2019 and 2025 with Portugal
- Final match: 24 September 2026, a 1–0 win over Wales; his final goal was a penalty against Croatia at the 2026 World Cup
Why now
Ronaldo left the Portugal camp on 30 September after a fallout with the coach, and the Portuguese FA gave him a 30-day suspension and a €255 fine. He will miss Portugal’s November fixtures against Denmark and Wales.
Not retiring from club football
Ronaldo continues playing for Al-Nassr in Saudi Arabia. He is chasing 1,000 career goals and is currently on 985.
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