Cristiano Ronaldo has announced his retirement from international football. The Portuguese star gave the news on Thursday, November 5, reading a letter to his supporters in a video posted on Instagram.
It brings to an end a record-breaking international career with Portugal.
Referring to his famous number 7 shirt, Ronaldo said in the video: “The day has come to hand back the national team’s number 7 shirt. I never thought the shirt was mine alone. But for 23 years I have had both the privilege and the responsibility of wearing it.”
Ronaldo is the all-time top scorer in international football, with 146 goals in 232 matches. He also led Portugal to the European Championship title in 2016.
But the 41-year-old’s farewell was not a happy one. After a dispute with Portugal coach Jorge Jesus, he left the training camp during the September international break. He was left out of the starting eleven for the Nations League match against Norway and did not come on as a substitute either. When his team-mates went to salute the crowd after the match, Ronaldo went straight to the dressing room.
After learning that he would not start the next match, against Denmark, he left the team’s camp in Copenhagen, complaining that Jesus had not kept his word to him. He later admitted he had been wrong. The Portuguese Football Federation also handed him a temporary suspension.
The five-time Ballon d’Or winner has now said goodbye to Portugal while that suspension is still in force.
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