Football: Ronaldo ends 23-year international career
The 41-year-old Portugal captain retires with 234 caps and 146 goals, leaving the national squad after a benching controversy.
By Salma Farouk ·
Cristiano Ronaldo has retired from international football, concluding a 23-year tenure with Portugal. The 41-year-old forward leaves the national team as the world's all-time top scorer in men's international competition. He also holds the record for the most appearances by a male player in a national team uniform.
His final match occurred on September 24. Portugal defeated Wales 1-0 in that contest. Ronaldo was substituted in the 67th minute. Coach Jorge Jesus subsequently benched him for the next fixture. That decision triggered a public dispute between the player and the coaching staff. Ronaldo was suspended for 30 days and fined 255 euros, or roughly $285, following the incident.
Ronaldo debuted for Portugal at age 18 in a friendly against Kazakhstan. He entered the game as a halftime replacement for Luis Figo. He wore the number 17 shirt during that match. Figo held the number 7 jersey at the time. Ronaldo assumed the number 7 permanently after Figo retired in 2006.
His career spanned six World Cups and six European Championships. He scored in 23 consecutive calendar years, from 2004 to 2026. He is the top scorer in World Cup history for Portugal with 11 goals in 27 matches. He captained the team to its first major trophy at Euro 2016. Portugal won the Nations League title in 2019 and 2025 under his leadership.
Before his arrival, Portugal qualified for only three World Cups and three European Championships. During his career, the team qualified for every edition of both tournaments. He became the first player to reach 200 international caps in a 2024 qualifier against Iceland. He was the first to score 100 goals for a European national team.
Ronaldo played in six World Cup tournaments, a record. He scored in all six, starting with a goal against Iran in 2006. His final World Cup goal came from a penalty against Croatia in the 2026 round of 32. At 41 years and 147 days, he became the oldest player to score in a World Cup knockout match. He also holds the records for most appearances and goals in European Championship history.
Portugal remains active in the Nations League. The team tops Group A4. They will host Denmark in Braga on November 14. Portugal plays two remaining group games against Wales. Ronaldo will not play in those matches. His next club appearance is scheduled for November 20 with Al-Nassr in the Saudi Pro League against Al-Qadsiah.
