Cristiano Ronaldo makes bombshell retirement decision after stunning Portugal suspension

The country’s greatest ever player announced his decision via a video to camera on his social media channels.Ronaldo scored 146 goals in 234 games for Portugal, becoming the all-time leading scorer in the history of men’s international football.Between 2003 and 2026, a storied international career delivered three trophies: the European Championship title in France in 2016 and two UEFA Nations League titles, in 2019 and 2025.Ronaldo said in his social media address that the “time had come” to hand back the No7 shirt but that he had “never felt it belonged to me alone”.The 41-year-old considered retiring after this summer’s World Cup but was persuaded to stay on by Portuguese FA president Pedro Proenca, a former UEFA referee. Read MoreHe was expected to return to the national team for this month’s Nations League matches against Denmark and Wales but has now announced his international retirement.It means his final international break with Portugal (the window in September and October) was the same as his great rival Lionel Messi’s final international break with Argentina. Both players are to now play club football only.Ronaldo made his international debut in August 2003 at the age of 18 and bows out from Portugal duty at the age of 41 having eclipsed Eusebio to become the greatest player in his country’s history.