Portugal great Cristiano Ronaldo announces retirement from international soccer

Cristiano Ronaldo announced on Thursday that he will no longer represent Portugal internationally, putting an end to a career that spanned six World Cups and included a European championship and the men's all-time international scoring record. The 41-year-old Ronaldo made the decision after falling out with coach Jorge Jesus and expressed his gratitude to the Portuguese people in a lengthy social media video.

"I never felt it belonged to me alone," he said, "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." Portugal plans to honor Ronaldo with a tribute, acknowledging his significant impact on the country's soccer culture. Jesus, Ronaldo's former coach, confirmed that the decision to leave the national team was final and that Ronaldo would not start in the next match.

Ronaldo, who currently plays for Al-Nassr in Saudi Arabia, remains focused on his club career, aiming to surpass his career goal tally of 1,000 and secure his place as one of the greatest soccer players of all time.