Cristiano Ronaldo has announced on his personal social media that he is retiring from the Portugal national team.

Ronaldo's Farewell Letter

For the Portuguese people, the day has come to return the number 7 shirt of our national team to all of you.

I never felt that it belonged to me alone. But for 23 years, I have had the privilege and responsibility of wearing it, defending it, and carrying it onto football pitches around the world.

Today, it is time to pass it on to the future.

This has not been an easy decision, because some decisions are made not only with the mind, but also with the heart.

A journey that began in August 2003 and changed my life forever has now come to an end.

When I look back on everything I experienced with the national team, I see more than just matches, goals, records or trophies. I see people.

I see Portuguese immigrants who felt a little closer to their homeland during those 90 minutes. I see millions of Portuguese people whom I have never met, yet who have become part of my life. Because, ultimately, football is much more than just a game.

Football is about people.

Throughout my international career, I always tried to push beyond my limits. I wanted to win, I wanted to be the best, and I wanted to make history. I have always demanded a great deal of myself. I always wanted more and firmly believed that we could go even further. I gave everything for this shirt.

There were perfect afternoons and evenings, victories I will never forget, and defeats that remain difficult for me to look back on even today.

I failed at times, I suffered, and there were moments when I could not give the Portuguese people everything they hoped for. But I never gave up.

Most importantly, I never stopped feeling proud of representing Portugal. Over the years, I have learned many simple yet profound lessons.

Goals fade with time. Trophies are placed in museums, and records are eventually broken. But some things can never be erased by time: the place we hold in people's hearts.

If I ever made you happy, if one of my goals made you embrace someone beside you, forget your worries for a moment, or feel proud of our country, then everything was worth it.

Because being Portuguese means exactly that. We suffer together, we rise together, and we believe again.

Portugal will always need young people who dare to dream, players who never give up, and a new generation that believes it can reach places no one has ever reached before. Because a country that continues to create new heroes is a country that never stops believing in itself.

To my national team teammates, I want to say something special. Thank you for every run, every embrace, every argument, every moment of silence before walking onto the pitch, every victory we celebrated together, and every defeat that made us stronger.

I was fortunate enough to serve as your captain, but a captain never walks alone. Each and every one of you is part of my life story.

To all the coaches, management staff, doctors, physiotherapists, kit managers, staff members, and the countless people who have worked alongside me over the years, thank you. Many of you never appeared in the photographs, but without you, those photographs would never have been possible.

To my family, thank you for sharing this dream with me. Thank you for understanding my absences, sacrifices, and the moments when the national team took up time and space that should have belonged to you. If I have made it this far, it is because we have always walked this journey together.

To all the Portuguese people, and to every Portuguese person around the world, I want to leave you with one final message.

There is one image I will carry with me forever: the moment the national anthem begins to play. I look around and see my teammates, the supporters in the stands, children, mothers, fathers and grandparents, and Portuguese people who have travelled great distances simply to be there.

In those few minutes, we are no longer different from one another. There are no clubs, no team colours, no social classes, no professions, and no differing opinions. There is only one shared passion: Portugal.

That feeling will stay with me for the rest of my life.

Today, my journey on the international stage comes to an end. I walk away with my head held high, proud of everything I have achieved and knowing that I gave absolutely everything for Portugal.

But I will never stop being one of you. I will continue to share your joys and sorrows, and celebrate every victory for Portugal alongside you.

I spent my entire life working to become the best player in the world. Now I understand that the greatest victory is being able to represent the greatest country in the world.

Thank you for these 23 years. Thank you for trusting me. Thank you for allowing me to fulfil the dream of a little boy from Madeira who once dreamed of playing football.

The number 7 shirt will remain forever, and the honour of having worn it will always be mine.

Portugal will always be in my heart.

Goodbye.

Cristiano Ronaldo

(End of farewell letter)

Ronaldo made his debut for the Portugal national team on August 20, 2003, at the age of 18 years and 195 days. Over the following 23 years, he made 234 appearances for Portugal, scoring 146 goals and providing 45 assists, making him the country's most-capped player and all-time leading scorer.

In terms of honours, Ronaldo helped Portugal win two UEFA Nations League titles (2019 and 2025), as well as the UEFA European Championship in 2016.

Ronaldo's last appearance for Portugal came on September 25 this year, in a Nations League match against Wales. He started the game and played 67 minutes before being substituted. He was subsequently named on the bench for the following match against Norway but did not make an appearance.

His decision to remain an unused substitute reportedly led to a disagreement between Ronaldo and national team coach Jorge Jesus, after which Ronaldo left the national team's training camp on his own.

Following the incident, Ronaldo was handed a 30-day suspension by the Portuguese Football Federation, which ended on October 30. This meant he was eligible for selection in Portugal's November squad. However, following his announcement that he is retiring from international football, it remains unclear whether he will still be considered for the upcoming squad.