Ronaldo retires from Portugal after record 146 goals, bitter exit

Cristiano Ronaldo has announced his retirement from international football, bringing to a close a 23-year Portugal career in which he scored 146 goals in 234 appearances, according to Independent Sport.

The 41-year-old confirmed the decision in a video posted to Instagram, telling supporters: "The day has come back for me to hand back the number 7 shirt of our national team. I never felt it belonged to me alone. But for 23 years I had the privilege and the responsibility of wearing it, defending it, and carrying it with me into stadiums all around the world."

He added: "Today, the time has come to pass it on to the future. It was not an easy decision."

Ronaldo leaves as international football's all-time leading scorer and record appearance-holder, having made his Portugal debut against Kazakhstan in August 2003.

His Portugal career included captaining the side to their first major honour at Euro 2016, as well as Nations League triumphs in 2019 and 2025.

The ending was far from serene. Ronaldo walked out of the Portugal camp last month after being left as an unused substitute against Norway, accusing new head coach Jorge Jesus of breaking promises to him on two occasions, Independent Sport reported.

The Portuguese FA responded with a 30-day suspension and a fine of €255 (£214.88), a ban that had already expired by the time of the November international break.

Ronaldo will continue playing club football for Al-Nassr in Saudi Arabia, where he is pursuing a stated goal of 1,000 career goals and needs 15 more to reach it.

The manner of his departure stood in stark contrast to that of his great rival, Lionel Messi, who ended his Argentina career in more harmonious circumstances after this year's World Cup, according to Yahoo Sports.

Messi, 39, scored in his farewell international appearance, a 3-0 friendly win over Benin in Buenos Aires, with his send-off staged at River Plate's Estadio Monumental.

His final tournament had also carried heavy drama. Messi produced eight goals and four assists at the World Cup, briefly topping the all-time scoring list before Kylian Mbappe claimed the Golden Boot, as Argentina reached a second successive final.

That run ended in defeat and a post-match brawl involving Leandro Paredes, during which Enzo Fernandez was sent off for a challenge on Pau Cubarsi, and Messi himself pressed the referee over Marc Cucurella's conduct, according to Yahoo Sports.

Where Messi's international story closed with defeat but broad goodwill, Ronaldo's finished with a suspension, a fine and an unresolved rift with his national coach before he chose to call time himself.

Attention now turns to Ronaldo's pursuit of 1,000 career goals with Al-Nassr, the target he has set as the defining aim of the closing stage of his club career.