{
  "id": 18310922,
  "title": "Portugal: Neymar reacts as Cristiano Ronaldo retires from international football",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/05/portugal-neymar-reacts-as-cristiano-ronaldo-retires-from",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-11-05T12:54:35.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Daily Post Nigeria",
    "slug": "daily-post-nigeria",
    "url": "https://dailypost.ng/2026/11/05/portugal-neymar-reacts-as-cristiano-ronaldo-retires-from-international-football/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Brazilian football star Neymar Jr. expressed his admiration for Cristiano Ronaldo following the latter's announcement of retirement from international football on November 5. Neymar shared his sentiments via Instagram, referring to Ronaldo as \"Lenda,\" meaning \"Legend\" in Portuguese, and complimenting him with clapping emojis. The 41-year-old Ronaldo confirmed his decision in a lengthy video on Instagram, stating that he would end his 23-year international career with Portugal after the upcoming international break. He also revealed that he would surrender Portugal's iconic number seven jersey, which he has worn for 23 years, symbolizing his devotion and responsibility towards representing his nation. In his farewell remarks to the Portuguese people, Ronaldo emphasized the honor and burden of donning the number seven shirt, stating that it never truly belonged to him alone but represented the collective spirit of the team and its fans for 23 years. He candidly admitted that the decision was emotionally taxing, noting that such choices often stem from the heart as much as the mind. Ronaldo's international career with Portugal is marked by an impressive record of 234 appearances and 146 goals, making him the most-capped and top-scoring player in men's international football history. Among his accomplishments, Ronaldo led Portugal to their first major international trophy at Euro 2016, alongside UEFA Nations League victories in 2019 and 2025. Neymar's tribute to Ronaldo carries particular weight, given their past rivalry during their time as teammates at Real Madrid. As Brazil's star player, Neymar had competed against Ronaldo in Barcelona kits, adding an extra layer of intensity to their on-field battles. Following Ronaldo's retirement announcement, various football personalities, including the Premier League's official Instagram account and his former Portugal teammate Pepe, also expressed their appreciation for Ronaldo's remarkable career.",
  "summary": "Brazilian football superstar Neymar Jr. has paid tribute to Cristiano Ronaldo after the Portuguese forward announced his decision to retire from international football on Thursday, November 5. Neymar reacted to Ronaldo's announcement with a brief but meaningful message on Instagram, describing the 41-year-old as a “Lenda”, which translates to “Legend” in Portuguese. He also accompanied […]…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}