Cristiano Ronaldo leaves the international stage

Cristiano Ronaldo, the Portuguese football icon, has announced his retirement from international football at the age of 41. Ronaldo made his debut for the national team in 2003 and went on to play a world record 234 matches for Portugal, scoring 146 goals. However, his form has declined in recent years, leading to a fallout with national coach Jorge Jesus.

After refusing to play Ronaldo in a Nations League match, Ronaldo was suspended for 30 days and then announced his retirement via a video on Instagram. In the statement, he said, "The day has come for me to hand back the number seven shirt of our national team." The Portuguese Football Federation promised to organize a fitting tribute to Ronaldo's "immense career."

Despite retiring from international football, Ronaldo will continue to play for his Saudi Arabian club, Al-Nassr, until June 2027. Ronaldo's career highlights include winning the European Championship in 2016 and scoring three goals at the 2022 World Cup, though Portugal was eliminated in the round of 16 by eventual champions Spain.

The Portuguese public has been grateful to Ronaldo for his contributions to the national team and believes it was the right decision to end his international career.