Ronaldo retires from Portugal duty

Cristiano Ronaldo, the Portuguese football legend, has announced his retirement from international football at the age of 41. Ronaldo, who has scored 146 goals and earned 234 caps for Portugal, holds world records in both categories. He informed the team last month that he would not start the Nations League match against Denmark, the final straw prompting his decision to retire.

In a video posted on Instagram, Ronaldo expressed his gratitude to the Portuguese people and acknowledged that the number seven jersey of the national team had belonged to him as a collective symbol for 23 years. He emphasized the privilege and responsibility he felt while wearing the shirt and carrying it to stadiums across the world.

Ronaldo stated that the decision to retire was not an easy one, as decisions of such magnitude cannot be made solely with the mind. He also admitted that the journey that began in August 2003 had changed his life forever, and it was time to pass the torch to the future generation.