Cristiano Ronaldo retires from international football
sportsNov 5, 202643124
Cristiano Ronaldo, 41, has announced his retirement from international football, saying in an Instagram video that "the day has come for me to hand back the number seven shirt" after a 23-year Portugal career that began in August 2003. Ronaldo finishes with 146 goals and 234 caps, both men's international records. He walked out of the Portugal camp in September after being told he would not start the Nations League match against Denmark and earlier fell out with coach Jorge Jesus when he was an unused substitute against Norway. Portugal will name their squad on Friday for this month's Nations League games, at home to Denmark and away to Wales, and the Portugal Football Federation said it will organise a fitting tribute to Ronaldo. Ronaldo played in six European Championships, was runner-up in 2004 and part of the 2016 winners, and featured in his sixth World Cup this summer when Portugal lost to eventual champions Spain in the last 16; his World Cup performances had drawn media criticism. The federation fined Ronaldo £215 and suspended him for 30 days after the September incident, and Jorge Jesus said the door remained open for a return before this announcement.
