Cristiano Ronaldo is retiring from one aspect of his legendary footballing career.
The all-time great will no longer suit up for his country, Portugal.
It was not an amicable ending. Ronaldo and Portugal’s manager, Jorge Jesus, got in a dispute that at least partially led to this ending.
But regardless of the reason, Ronaldo announced on Thursday that he’ll be stepping away from the Portuguese national team.
“To the Portuguese people, the day has come to return the No. 7 jersey of the national team,” Ronaldo wrote on social media. I never felt it belonged to me alone but for 23 years I had the privilege and responsibility of wearing it, defending it and carrying it with me into stadiums all around the world. Today, the time has come to pass it onto the future. It was not an easy decision because some decisions are not made with the mind alone. They are also made with the heart. A journey that began in August 2003 and changed my life forever has come to an end. When I look back at everything I experienced with the national team, I don’t just see matches, goals, records or trophies. I see people — Portuguese people living abroad who, for 90 minutes, felt a little closer to home. I see millions of Portuguese people I have never met who became a part of my life. Because, at the end of the day, football is so much bigger than a game. Football is about people.”
Is Ronaldo Retiring?
Cristiano Ronaldo is only partially retiring.
He is stepping away from international football, where he represents his country Portugal.
He is not stepping away from club football, which he currently plays in Saudi Arabia.
This is quite a common move among world footballers. The duties of playing internationally involve quite a bit of extra travel and exertion during the season, and with Ronaldo playing in Saudi Arabia, that travel to play for Portugal increased in recent seasons from where he is based during the club campaign.
At 41, Ronaldo lasted longer in the international game than just about anyone.
Cristiano Ronaldo Stats
Ronaldo is nearing 1,000 career goals across all competitions.
Of those, 146 have come for his country. Those 146 goals have come in 234 appearances.
Ronaldo won the 2016 European Championship with Portugal.
What Happened With Ronaldo, Portugal?
This is how ESPN explained it in an article on Wednesday morning:
But he left the Portuguese training camp during the last international break, after not making an appearance against Norway in a 2-1 Nations League win. He headed straight to the dressing room at the final whistle of that match and did not join his teammates in applauding the travelling fans in Oslo.
He was punished with a suspension from international duty and a small fine after a lengthy statement which explained his exit from the training camp. Ronaldo accused Jesus of breaking promises in an explosive bust-up — claiming he was told that he would make an appearance off the bench so began a warm-up only for the coach to change his mind.
On Thursday, a day before Portugal’s next squad for the upcoming Nations League fixtures is due to be announced, Ronaldo confirmed his retirement from international duty via social media.
Ronaldo’s time in a Portugal shirt is done.
Cristiano Ronaldo Makes Retirement Announcement