Cristiano Ronaldo has retired from international football. The 41-year-old announced the decision on 5 November 2026, ending a 23-year career with Portugal that produced the most caps and the most goals in men’s international history. His final numbers are 234 appearances and 146 goals, with the last of them coming against Wales on 24 September 2026.
Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal career began on 20 August 2003 against Kazakhstan, when he was just 18. He was already a rising star at Manchester United, and his arrival gave Portugal a new kind of attacking threat. At the time, nobody could have predicted that the teenager would still be wearing the shirt more than two decades later.
His first major tournament came on home soil at Euro 2004, and it ended in tears. Portugal reached the final in Lisbon, but Greece won 1-0 in one of the biggest upsets in the tournament’s history. Ronaldo wept at the final whistle, and the image became one of the defining pictures of his early career. It also planted the seed of ambition that would shape the next 12 years.
The years that followed brought progress and frustration in equal measure. Portugal reached the semi-finals of the 2006 World Cup, where Ronaldo scored his first World Cup goal, a penalty against Iran. He took the captaincy and carried the team through a series of tournaments in which it was often close but never quite there.
…Two Nations League Titles and Historic Scoring Records
The wait ended in France in 2016. Portugal reached the UEFA Euro 2016 Final against the hosts, but Cristiano Ronaldo was forced off injured in the first half, in tears again. He spent the rest of the match urging his teammates from the touchline, and Eder’s extra-time goal gave Portugal a 1-0 win. It was the country’s first major title.
After 2016, Cristiano Ronaldo moved from great scorer to record-breaker. He passed Iran’s Ali Daei’s mark of 109 goals in 2021 to become the all-time leading men’s international scorer. Portugal won the inaugural Nations League in 2019, and in 2025, he added a second title when Portugal beat Spain in the final in Munich, with Ronaldo scoring an equaliser in a 2-2 draw before Portugal won on penalties.
His numbers across competitions are remarkable. According to FIFA and other reports, he scored 15 goals in the Nations League and 14 at the European Championship, across a record 30 appearances and 11 at the World Cup in 27 games. His 41 goals in the World Cup qualifying are the most in history, and over half of his total goals came in qualifying campaigns.
At the 2022 World Cup, Cristiano Ronaldo was dropped to the bench for the round of 16 game against Switzerland after a dispute with the coach, and Portugal lost to Morocco in the quarter-finals. At Euro 2024, he went through the tournament without scoring a goal, and he missed a penalty in extra time against Slovenia before Portugal won on penalties. They lost to France on penalties in the quarter-finals.
…Portugal Career Ends With a Record Six World Cup Appearances
The 2026 World Cup was billed as his farewell on the biggest stage. Portugal qualified for a seventh straight tournament, which had never happened before he arrived, and Cristiano Ronaldo became the first player to score at six different World Cups. He scored twice against Uzbekistan in Houston, taking him past Eusebio as Portugal’s all-time World Cup scorer with 11 goals to Eusebio’s nine.
The campaign ended in the round of 16, when Spain won 1-0 with a stoppage-time goal from Mikel Merino in Arlington on 6 July. Portugal fell short of the one major trophy missing from Ronaldo’s collection, the World Cup itself. He had already said it would be his last, and after the defeat, he confirmed he would not return for a seventh.
His final appearance came against Wales in September. Sky Sports reported that his retirement followed a fallout with head coach Jorge Jesus during the previous international break, after Ronaldo had admitted he had considered ending his Portugal career after the World Cup. In his statement, he thanked the supporters and teammates who had been part of the journey.
His final record with Portugal stands at 142 wins, 54 draws and 38 defeats in his 234 matches. He finishes 20 goals clear of Lionel Messi, who retired from international football earlier in 2026.
FAQs
Q. When did Cristiano Ronaldo make his Portugal debut?
A. Cristiano Ronaldo made his debut against Kazakhstan on 20 August 2003, aged 18.
Q. How many goals and appearances did Ronaldo record for Portugal?
A. Cristiano Ronaldo finished with 146 goals in 234 international appearances.
Q. Which major trophies did Ronaldo win with Portugal?
A. Ronaldo won Euro 2016 and the Nations League in 2019 and 2025.
Q. How many World Cups did Ronaldo play in?
A. Cristiano Ronaldo appeared in six World Cups and became the first player to score in all six.
Q. When did Ronaldo announce his international retirement?
A. Ronaldo announced his retirement on 5 November 2026, ending his 23-year Portugal career.
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