Portuguese football superstar, Cristiano Ronaldo, has announced his retirement from international football, bringing an end to his remarkable 23-year career with the national team.

The 41-year-old forward made the announcement on Thursday through an emotional video message shared on his social media accounts.

Ronaldo bows out as Portugal’s most-capped player and highest goalscorer, having made 234 international appearances and scored a record 146 goals.

During his illustrious career, he captained Portugal to its first-ever European Championship title in 2016 and also helped the country win the UEFA Nations League in 2019 and 2025.

He further made history as the first footballer to score at six different FIFA World Cup tournaments.

In his farewell message, Ronaldo expressed gratitude to his teammates, coaches, family and millions of Portuguese supporters for their unwavering support throughout his international career.

The former Manchester United and Real Madrid forward described representing Portugal as the greatest honour of his football journey.

However, his retirement does not mark the end of his professional football career, as he is expected to continue playing for Saudi Arabian club Al-Nassr.

His departure brings to a close one of the most successful international careers in modern football history.