Ronaldo’s most iconic moments as he retires from international football

Cristiano Ronaldo announced his retirement from international football, having played for his country with a 41-year-old body. His career goal tally is now at 985. The story begins with his move to Manchester United in 2003 after an impressive pre-season friendly against Sporting Lisbon. United manager Alex Ferguson was taken by the young Portuguese prodigy, signing him for £12m.

Ronaldo's Premier League debut saw him score against Millwall in his first season at Old Trafford. His second season took him to new heights, becoming the league's top scorer with 17 goals and winning the FA Cup.

His international career was shaped by multiple clubs. In 2009, he hit a stunning 40-yard shot against Porto which earned him the inaugural Puskas award. A year later, he moved to Real Madrid for £80m. At Real Madrid, Ronaldo won the Champions League once, and his clásico goal against Barcelona in the 2011 Copa del Rey final remains a legendary moment.

In 2015, he became Real Madrid's all-time top scorer with 324 goals in 310 games. In 2016, Ronaldo led Portugal to their first European Championship title, securing his place in history as the top scorer in Euros history with 14 goals.

Ronaldo's record-breaking achievements include five Ballon d'Or awards, tied with Lionel Messi at the time, and becoming the top scorer in Champions League history with 141 goals in 187 games. A testament to his remarkable goal-scoring ability comes from his acrobatic bicycle kick against Juventus, one of the most iconic goals in football history.