Cristiano Ronaldo retired from international football on Thursday 5 November 2026. He finishes with 234 caps and 146 goals for Portugal, the most of any man in history on both counts. He played at six World Cups and six European Championships, won Euro 2016 and two Nations League titles, and played his last game for Portugal on 24 September 2026, a 1-0 win over Wales in Lisbon. He is 41 and will keep playing for Al-Nassr.
How Ronaldo announced his retirement
He posted a long video on social media on 5 November: him reading a statement, cut with clips from 23 years in the shirt. The message was that he was handing back the No. 7 shirt to the Portuguese people, that he had given everything to it, and that playing for his country had been the biggest win of his life. He added that he would stay a Portugal fan.
He had reportedly written a retirement statement once before, after the World Cup in July, and Portuguese federation president Pedro Proença talked him out of it on the flight home from North America.
The announcement came a day before Jorge Jesus was due to name his squad for the November games, and less than a month after Lionel Messi played his farewell match for Argentina.
Why now: the row with Jorge Jesus
Jorge Jesus took over as Portugal coach after the World Cup. His first game was Ronaldo's last: Portugal beat Wales 1-0 in the Nations League at the Estádio José Alvalade on 24 September. Ronaldo started, had a goal ruled out for offside after a VAR check, and came off after 67 minutes.
Three days later he was an unused substitute as Portugal won 2-1 in Norway. He warmed up from half-time and was not called on, then went straight to the dressing room instead of joining the players in thanking the travelling fans. He said Jesus had broken an agreement between them. Jesus denied there was one. Told he would not start the next game either, Ronaldo left the camp before the Denmark match.
He apologised in early October for leaving his teammates and for not greeting the fans, and said his actions should be punished. The federation gave him a 30-day suspension and a small fine. Jesus said the door was open and the decision to come back was Ronaldo's. He served the ban and then chose to stop.
Ronaldo career timeline, 2002 to 2026
Twenty-four seasons, six clubs, one country. The moments that shaped it:
- Oct 2002Sporting CP debutScored twice on his league debut, a 3-0 win over Moreirense, aged 17.
- Aug 2003Manchester United, then PortugalSporting beat United 3-1 in the friendly that opened the new Alvalade. United signed him days later for about £12 million. On 20 August he won his first cap, off the bench at half-time for Luís Figo in a 1-0 friendly win over Kazakhstan.
- Jun 2004First Portugal goalA header against Greece in the opening game of Euro 2004 in Porto. Portugal reached the final at home and lost it to Greece.
- May 2008Champions League and a Ballon d'OrA Premier League and Champions League double with United, 42 goals in the season, and his first Ballon d'Or that December.
- Jul 2009Real Madrid, world-record feeMadrid paid €94 million. He left nine years later as the club's all-time top scorer with 450 goals.
- Jul 2016Champions of Europe with PortugalInjured early in the Euro 2016 final against France, he spent extra time on the touchline urging his teammates on. Éder scored, Portugal won 1-0 and lifted their first major trophy.
- May 2018Fifth Champions LeagueHis fourth with Madrid and a third in a row. He joined Juventus that summer.
- Jun 2019First Nations LeagueA hat-trick against Switzerland in the semi-final in Porto, then the trophy at home.
- Sep 2021The record is hisTwo late headers against the Republic of Ireland took him to 111 goals, past Ali Daei's 109, the old men's international record. Days earlier he had rejoined Manchester United.
- Jan 2023Al-NassrMoved to Saudi Arabia. In June 2023 he became the first man to win 200 caps.
- Jun 2025Second Nations LeagueScored the winner against Germany in the semi-final and the equaliser against Spain in the final, which Portugal won on penalties.
- May 2026Saudi championScored twice on the final day as Al-Nassr beat Damac 4-1 to win the Saudi Pro League, his first league title in Saudi Arabia.
- Jun–Jul 2026A sixth World CupTwo goals against Uzbekistan made him the first man to score at six World Cups. A penalty against Croatia followed in the round of 32. Spain, the eventual champions, knocked Portugal out 1-0 in the round of 16.
- 24 Sep 2026Last capPortugal 1-0 Wales, Nations League, Lisbon. Cap number 234.
- 5 Nov 2026RetirementHands back the No. 7 shirt in a video message.
Club by club: games, goals and trophies
All competitions, official matches only. Al-Nassr figures are up to 5 November 2026; the other five spells are complete. United covers both spells, shown separately.
| Club | Years | Games | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sporting CP | 2002–03 | 31 | 5 |
| Manchester United (two spells) | 2003–09, 2021–22 | 346 | 145 |
| Real Madrid | 2009–18 | 438 | 450 |
| Juventus | 2018–21 | 134 | 101 |
| Al-Nassr | 2023– (to 5 Nov 2026) | 160 | 138 |
| Portugal | 2003–26 | 234 | 146 |
| Total | 1,343 | 985 |
Came through the academy. Two goals on his league debut.
Ballon d'Or 2008. 31 Premier League goals in 2007–08.
More goals than games. The club's all-time top scorer. Four Ballons d'Or here.
Serie A top scorer in 2020–21, making him top scorer in England, Spain and Italy.
Back for a season and a half. 145 United goals across both spells.
League record 35 goals in 2023–24, top scorer again in 2024–25. 7 in 10 league games so far this season.
Portugal career in numbers: every major tournament
He played at 15 major finals tournaments for Portugal, counting the Confederations Cup and the two Nations League finals he won. They account for 32 of his 146 goals; the other 114 came in qualifiers, Nations League group games and friendlies.
| Tournament | Editions | Goals | Record |
|---|---|---|---|
| World Cup | 6 (2006–2026) | 11 | First man to score at six World Cups; Portugal record, past Eusébio's 9 |
| European Championship | 6 (2004–2024) | 14 | Most goals and most games (30) in Euro history |
Firsts and lasts
| Moment | Match | Date |
|---|---|---|
| First cap | Portugal 1-0 Kazakhstan, friendly (came on at half-time) | 20 Aug 2003 |
| First goal | Portugal 1-2 Greece, Euro 2004, Porto | 12 Jun 2004 |
| Goal 110 and 111 (world record) | Portugal 2-1 Republic of Ireland, World Cup qualifier | 1 Sep 2021 |
| Last goal (146) | Portugal 2-1 Croatia, World Cup round of 32, Toronto (68th-minute penalty) | 2 Jul 2026 |
| Last World Cup game | Spain 1-0 Portugal, round of 16, Arlington | 6 Jul 2026 |
| Last cap (234) | Portugal 1-0 Wales, Nations League, Lisbon (off after 67 minutes) | 24 Sep 2026 |
The records he leaves behind
- Most men's international caps: 234. He was the first man to reach 200.
- Most men's international goals: 146. Messi finished on 126. He took the record from Iran's Ali Daei in 2021.
- First man to score at six World Cups (2006, 2010, 2014, 2018, 2022, 2026).
- Played at six World Cups and six European Championships.
- Most goals (14) and most games (30) in European Championship history.
- Scored for Portugal in 23 calendar years in a row, from 2004 to 2026.
- Portugal's top World Cup scorer with 11, two more than Eusébio.
- Away from Portugal: 140 Champions League goals (the most ever), five Champions League titles, five Ballons d'Or (2008, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2017) and 985 official career goals, more than anyone in history.
The all-time men's international scorers
Nobody is close. Ronaldo finishes 20 goals clear of Messi and 38 clear of Ali Daei, whose record he broke in 2021. India's Sunil Chhetri is fourth.
Ronaldo's 10 greatest Portugal moments
- 12 Jun 2004The first oneA header against Greece in the opening game of Euro 2004 in Porto, aged 19.
- 19 Nov 2013Hat-trick in StockholmAll three goals in a 3-2 win over Zlatan Ibrahimović's Sweden in the World Cup play-off. Portugal went to Brazil.
- 10 Jul 2016Champions of EuropeOff injured in the first half of the Euro 2016 final, he coached from the touchline as Éder's extra-time goal beat France.
- 15 Jun 2018Hat-trick against SpainA 3-3 at the World Cup in Sochi, finished with an 88th-minute free kick.
- 5 Jun 2019Nations League hat-trickThree against Switzerland in the semi-final in Porto, then the first Nations League trophy.
- Jul 2021Euro 2020 Golden BootFive goals, level with Patrik Schick, and the Golden Boot on assists.
- 1 Sep 2021The world recordTwo late headers against Ireland took him to 111 international goals, past Ali Daei.
- 20 Jun 2023200 capsThe first man to reach 200 caps, and he scored the winner against Iceland that night.
- 8 Jun 2025Nations League againScored the equaliser against Spain in the final in Munich, which Portugal won on penalties.
- 23 Jun 2026Six World Cups scored atTwo goals against Uzbekistan made him the first man to score at six World Cups.
Ronaldo and Messi: two goodbyes in one autumn
Lionel Messi played his farewell for Argentina in October with 208 caps and 126 goals. Ronaldo followed him out a month later with 234 and 146. For twenty years the two of them set the standard, and now neither will play international football again.
Messi has the World Cup and eight Ballons d'Or. Ronaldo has the caps, the goals and five Champions Leagues. Our head-to-head page puts the whole ledger side by side, with this season's club numbers next to the career records.
Ronaldo trivia: 10 facts you might not know
- His first Portugal shirt number was 17. He took the No. 7 from Luís Figo after Figo stepped away in 2006.
- He came on for Figo himself to win his first cap, at half-time against Kazakhstan.
- He scored a hat-trick against Sweden in the 2014 World Cup play-off to take Portugal to Brazil.
- He watched most of the Euro 2016 final from the touchline after being injured early on, and Portugal still won.
- He won the Euro 2020 Golden Boot with five goals, level with Patrik Schick but ahead on assists.
- His 146 goals came across 23 straight calendar years. No one else has scored for their country for that long.
- He is the only player to score 100 goals for four different clubs: Manchester United, Real Madrid, Juventus and Al-Nassr.
- He has been the top scorer in four domestic leagues: England, Spain, Italy and Saudi Arabia.
- His 35 Saudi Pro League goals in 2023–24 are the league's single-season record.
- He retired 15 goals short of 1,000 career goals, and the chase goes on at Al-Nassr.
Ronaldo quiz: how well do you know CR7?
Eight questions on his Portugal and club career. Tap an answer to see if you are right, then share your score.
The Cristiano Ronaldo farewell quiz
8 questions, answers explained. No sign-up needed.
What happens next
Ronaldo stays at Al-Nassr. He has 7 goals in 10 Saudi Pro League games this season, including a 15-minute hat-trick against Al Kholood on 29 October, and is 15 goals short of 1,000 for his career. He is reportedly expected to finish his club career at the end of this season.
For Portugal it is the end of the longest international career a man has had. Jorge Jesus now builds a team without its captain of the last two decades.
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