Cristiano Ronaldo retires from the Portugal national team following rift with manager

The Portuguese superstar announced his decision to retire from the national team on Thursday, ending his career with Euro 2016 glory and two UEFA Nations League crowns Nov 5, 2026 at 7:19 am ET • 3 min read It's the end of an era: Cristiano Ronaldo, the Portuguese soccer star, announced his decision to retire from the Portuguese national team. Ronaldo, who will turn 42 next year, is considered one of the best players in the history of the sport, and announced his retirement from international soccer after 23 years representing Portugal, winning Euro 2016 and two editions of the UEFA Nations League. Cristiano followed the decision of his long-time rival Lionel Messi, who retired from the Argentine national team last month. Over his career with Portugal, he scored 146 goals in 234 games. Ronaldo's decision follows a rift with the current head coach Jorge Jesus. Last month, the striker left Portugal's training camp aboard his private jet following a disagreement with the coach, followed by an open letter and apologies to the fans and the team where he explained his decision, without mentioning the manager. The Portuguese federation later suspended the player for 30 days but he was eligible to be called for the upcoming games against Denmark and Wales. Ronaldo posted a video message on his social media announcing his decision to retire from the national team: "To the Portuguese people, the day has come to hand back the number seven shirt of the national team that belongs to us all. I never felt it was exclusively mine. But for 23 years I had the privilege and the responsibility of wearing it, defending it and taking it with me to stadiums all over the world. Today the time has come to hand it over to the future. It was not an easy decision, because there are decisions that are not made solely with the head; they are also made with the heart." The five-time Ballon d'Or winner played his sixth and last World Cup this summer in the United States, Canada and Mexico, when Portugal were eliminated by Spain in the round of 16 of the tournament."A journey that began in August 2003 and changed my life forever is coming to an end. When I look back and think of everything I've experienced with the national team, I don't just see matches, goals, records or trophies. I see people. I see immigrants who, for 90 minutes, felt Portugal was a little bit closer. I see millions of Portuguese people whom I've never met in person, but who have been part of my life. Because, at the end of the day, football is so much more than just a game. Football is about the people. Throughout my entire career with the national team, I've strived to push my limits. I wanted to win, I wanted to be the best, I wanted to make history," he said. "I've always been hard on myself. I've always wanted more; I've always believed we could go further. And I gave everything I had for this shirt. There were perfect afternoons and evenings; there were victories I'll never forget. There were defeats that I still find hard to recall today. I also failed, I also suffered, and there were moments when I wasn't able to give the Portuguese people what they so desperately wanted. But I never gave up. And above all, I never stopped feeling proud to represent Portugal. Over the years, I've learnt some very simple things. Goals come and go, trophies end up in museums, and records are eventually broken. But there is one thing that time can never erase: the place we hold in people's hearts. If I ever made you happy, if one of my goals ever made you hug someone, forget your worries, and feel nothing but pride in our country, then it was all worth it. Because that's what being Portuguese is all about. We suffer together, we rise together. No captain walks alone and you're all part of my story. Portugal will always need young people who dream, players who never give up, new generations who believe it's possible to reach places no one has reached before. Because a country that continues to create new heroes is a country that never stops believing in itself."