LISBON — Cristiano Ronaldo is done with Portugal’s national team, ending a 23-year run that produced the men’s international scoring record, CBS News reported.
The 41-year-old announced the decision Thursday in a long video message on social media.
“To the Portuguese people, the day has come for me to hand back the No. 7 shirt of our national team,” Ronaldo said, according to CBS News and the Associated Press.
Ronaldo scored a record 146 goals in 234 games for Portugal, played in six World Cups and won a European championship.
His exit followed a falling out with coach Jorge Jesus. Ronaldo’s last game for Portugal was a 1-0 Nations League win over Wales on Sept. 24. Jesus benched him for the next match and said he did not plan to start him in the one after that, so Ronaldo left the team’s training camp. Jesus later said Ronaldo would be welcome back.
The Portuguese soccer federation thanked Ronaldo and said it plans to organize a tribute so fans can celebrate him one more time.
Ronaldo will keep playing for Al-Nassr in Saudi Arabia and is expected to finish his club career at the end of this season. He has 985 career goals as he chases 1,000.
His longtime rival Lionel Messi played his farewell match for Argentina last month.
Sources: CBS News/AP. Thee Arizona Times uses AI-assisted reporting reviewed against the sources listed.
Photo: Peter Glaser baraida / CC0 via Wikimedia Commons.
