Cristiano Ronaldo Quits Portugal Team at 41 With 146 Goals
Cristiano Ronaldo retired from Portugal's national team on Nov. 5 after 234 games. Reactions from Montenegro and Seguro, the Jorge Jesus row and what comes next.
Cristiano Ronaldo announced on Thursday, Nov. 5, that he is leaving Portugal’s national football team. He is 41 and ends 23 years in the side with 234 games and 146 goals, the highest totals in men’s international football, according to Diário do Distrito and CNN Portugal.
He made the announcement in a video on his official Instagram account. Observador reported that the clip passed 140 million views in its first three hours, with more than 13 million likes and a million comments.
A farewell video built around the number 7 shirt
In the video, Ronaldo said the time had come to hand back the number 7 shirt, which he said he never felt was his alone. He described the choice as hard and said it was made “with the heart” as well as the head. Much of the message was about fans, including emigrants who followed the team abroad. He added that he will keep suffering and celebrating every Portuguese win from the stands.
CNN Portugal noted that he still plays for Al Nassr and is close to his thousandth career goal, a target the Federação Portuguesa de Futebol (FPF, Portugal’s football federation) referred to in its own farewell statement.
The row with Jorge Jesus
The exit follows weeks of tension with the national coach, Jorge Jesus, who replaced Spain’s Roberto Martínez after the 2026 World Cup. Ronaldo walked out of a Nations League training camp in Scandinavia in late September. CNN Portugal dates the walkout to Sept. 30, the eve of the match against Denmark. Diário do Distrito says the camp was in Copenhagen and the dispute was over his use in a game against Norway. The FPF opened a disciplinary case that ended with a 30-day suspension and a fine of 255 euros, Diário do Distrito reported. Ronaldo later apologised in a statement.
Jesus told Canal 11 he had asked Ronaldo to stay but had to accept the decision. His last game for Portugal was a 1-0 win over Wales on Sept. 24, and his last goal came from a penalty in a 2-1 win over Croatia at the 2026 World Cup in Toronto on July 3, according to CNN Portugal.
What it means for Portugal
Ronaldo led Portugal to its only three major trophies: Euro 2016, won 1-0 against France in Saint-Denis, and two Nations League titles. Reports differ on the year of the second one: Diário do Distrito says 2025, after a penalty shootout against Spain, while CNN Portugal says 2024. He played at six European Championships and six World Cups and is the only player to score at six World Cups. Accounts of his debut also differ slightly: both place it in Chaves against Kazakhstan in August 2003, with Diário do Distrito giving Aug. 20 and CNN Portugal Aug. 23.
Political leaders reacted within minutes. Prime Minister Luís Montenegro wrote that what Ronaldo did on the pitch would echo for eternity. President António José Seguro thanked him for inspiring the Portuguese and said this was probably one of the hardest days of his sporting life. Culture, Youth and Sports Minister Margarida Balseiro Lopes, PS leader José Luís Carneiro and Chega leader André Ventura also posted thanks. FPF president Pedro Proença said the federation’s doors will always be open to him, and the FPF said it wants to organise a tribute where fans can applaud him.
Former teammates Pepe, Nani, Bruno Fernandes and Diogo Dalot posted messages, as did Sporting, Juventus and Manchester United. Fernando Santos, who coached him in 82 of his 234 games, called him the best of all time in a statement sent to Lusa. Ryanair, which has been joking about the player for months, reposted the news on X with one word: “finally”.
What happens next
The announcement came the day before Jesus names his squad for the next Nations League games. Portugal host Denmark in Braga on Nov. 14 and then play Wales in Cardiff on Nov. 17. The FPF has not set a date for its tribute.
Sources: Observador, Diário do Distrito, CNN Portugal
