Himal Press KATHMANDU: Cristiano Ronaldo, one of the world’s most celebrated footballers, announced his retirement from international football.
The Portuguese footballer made the announcement, releasing a video message on his social media page on Thursday.
“To the Portuguese people, the day has come for me to hand back the No. 7 shirt of our national team. I never felt it belonged to me alone. But for 23 years, I had the privilege and the responsibility of wearing it, defending it and carrying it with me into stadiums all around the world,” he said. “Today, the time has come to pass it on to the future. A journey that began in August 2003 and changed my life forever has come to an end.”
Ronaldo won 234 caps for Portugal and scored 146 goals for the national team. He first played for the national team on August 20, 2003, in a match against Kazakhstan, while his last match in Portuguese colors was against Wales on September 25, 2026.
He won the 2016 UEFA European Championship and the UEFA Nations League in 2019 and 2015 for Portugal.
“Over the years, I learned a few very simple things: Goals fade, trophies end up in museums. Records are eventually broken. But there is something that time can never erase. The place we hold in people’s hearts,” he said. “If I ever made you happy, if one of my goals ever made you embrace someone, forget a worry, or feel very proud of our country, then it was all worth it.”
Ronaldo also said he spent his life working to become the best player in the world. “Today, I realize that my greatest victory was earning the honor of representing the best country in the world. Thank you for these 23 years. Thank you for believing in me,” he said.
