Cristiano Ronaldo at Portugal training session
Photo by Kristian Tuxen Ladegaard Berg/NurPhoto via Getty Images
Cristiano Ronaldo has called time on his Portugal career in a social media video. It led to an instant flurry of tributes to the 41-year-old.
Former Manchester United forward Cristiano Ronaldo will retire from international football after the November international break. He has made 234 appearances for Portugal and scored 146 goals – a record on both counts.
Ronaldo won the European Championships in 2016 as well as two Nations League titles for his country. However, his decision to retire comes after a falling out with head coach Jorge Jesus during the last international break. He was suspended for 30 days and fined £215 for walking out on the squad’s training camp.
The announcement has led to an instant bombardment of tributes for Ronaldo after a stellar international career. It also means he will be the biggest story during the November break – as was the case during the previous round of fixtures.
Bruno Fernandes and Diogo Dalot react to Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal retirement
“To the Portuguese people, the day has come for me to hand back the No 7 shirt of our national team,” Ronaldo said in a long video announcement on Instagram. “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.”
It may come as a sad ending to a lauded career for Ronaldo, but Jesus is not the first manager who has had issues with the five-time Ballon d’Or winner. United fans will remember how he left Old Trafford for a second time following a public falling out with Erik ten Hag and the club’s hierarchy.
However, there are better memories from his Portugal career that now deserve the spotlight. The tributes that have been posted on Instagram following Ronaldo’s video announcement show exactly that.
United duo Bruno Fernandes and Diogo Dalot, who have both played with Ronaldo for club and country, led the tributes. “Thank you for your inspiration,” Fernandes wrote, before adding: “It was a privilege to be able to share great moments for our selection with my childhood idol.” Dalot posted: “Proud of you! Thank you.”
The official United account added: “Congratulations on an incredible career.” Meanwhile, Rio Ferdinand described Ronaldo’s international career as a movie. Jadon Sancho, who also played with Ronaldo at United, praised his ex-teammate as an inspiration.
Ronaldo will now likely feature in Portugal’s two Nations League matches later this month. They host Denmark before travelling to Wales. It remains to be seen when he will hang up his boots.