Legendary footballer Cristiano Ronaldo, 41, said it’s time to turn in his No. 7 Jersey and step down from the Portugal national team.
With 234 internationals and a record number of goals, he has netted 985 official senior career goals for club and country, including a men’s global record of 146 international goals for Portugal, according to FIFA and Ronaldo’s website.
“Portugal will always be in me,” he said in a Facebook video on Thursday, Nov. 5.
Ronaldo’s international debut in 2003 put the Portugal senior men’s national football team on the world soccer/football map. Before his arrival, Portugal had never won a major senior international trophy. FIFA said he is the top goalscorer in the sport’s history, fitting for a footballer who left high school to perfect his game.
FIFA World Cup 2026
Portugal qualified for FIFA World Cup 2026 but was eliminated after losing 1-0 to Spain during the Round of 16 on July 6 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. Spain advanced to the quarterfinals in Los Angeles to face Belgium, which defeated the US team 4-1.
Spain, World Cup winners in 2010, won the final tournament in the Meadowlands on July 19, beating three-time champions Argentina 1-0 in extra time.
See also: Argentina, Spain Face Off in the Meadowlands for World Cup 2026 Final
During the 2026 World Cup, the biggest in FIFA’s history, Ronaldo became the first player to score in six World Cup editions, scoring two goals in a 5-0 win over Uzbekistan in Houston, Texas.
Read More: Spain Win 2026 FIFA World Cup in the Meadowlands, Claiming the Nation’s Second Title
Already an entrepreneur, Ronaldo’s fashion brand CR7 opened its first U.S. physical retail store at the American Dream Mall in East Rutherford, New Jersey, timed to coincide with the 2026 FIFA World Cup games being played next door at MetLife Stadium.
The flagship boutique shop is his first U.S. store and features Ronaldo’s signature apparel, footwear, underwear, and lifestyle collections for U.S. fans.
Retirement Timing
Ronaldo’s retirement announcement follows a 30-day suspension handed down by the Portuguese Football Federation (PFF) for walking out of the Portugal national team’s training camp in Copenhagen, ESPN and others reported. He was also fined €255. Reports also cite disputes between the forward and new manager Jorge Jesus.
Jesus is expected to name his squad for the upcoming UEFA Nations League on Friday, Nov.7.
The international soccer superstar said he will keep playing at club level, but is expected to finish with Al Nassr in Saudi Arabia at the end of this season in mid-2027. He is nearing the historic milestone of 1,000 official career goals.
He said he is also actively expanding his business portfolio, which includes hotels, gyms, and lifestyle brands.
The PFF said they are planning a tribute to its star captain.
“Today I finish my walk on the pitch with the national team. I leave with my head held high, with pride in the path I took, and with the awareness that I gave everything I had for Portugal,” Ronaldo said in his farewell video.
5x FIFA World’s Best Player
Sports media, peers, and fans alike widely regard Ronaldo as one of the greatest footballers in history; FIFA named him the world’s best player five times. Ronaldo captained Portugal to their first major trophy at Euro 2016 and helped the team win the 2019 and 2025 Nations Leagues, according to his website.
“Football is so much bigger than a game. It’s about people,” Ronaldo said in a video on Instagram.
“To the Portuguese people, the day has come to hand back the number seven shirt of the national team that belongs to us all. I never felt it was exclusively mine,” Ronaldo said.
“It was not an easy decision, because there are decisions that are not made only with the head. They are also made with the heart,” the forward and captain of the Saudi Pro League club Al-Nassr. He represented the Portugal national team for 23 years and captained it for 19.
In a Facebook reel following the defeat to Spain, Ronaldo said 2026 would be his last World Cup.
“I gave it my all, I did my best. … Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose, but you have to carry on,” he said in July. “The truth is that it was my last World Cup, and now I will have time with my family so as not to make decisions in the heat of the moment.”
Cristiano Ronaldo Career Highlights
Ronaldo holds the record for the most goals in the sport’s history — over 970 — with 146 goals in 234 games for Portugal. He is the first player to score in six World Cup tournaments.
He has scored the most World Cup qualifying goals — 41 — and the most matches — 30 — and the most goals in European Championships — 14. In 27 matches, he ranks second on the all-time appearance list, has scored 11 goals, and is the only player to score in five different Euros, according to FIFA and Ronaldo’s website.
Ronaldo remains under contract with Al-Nassr until 2027, earning more than $200 million a year; he joined in 2022. Forbes has ranked him the world’s highest-paid athlete every year since 2023. His total annual earnings, including sponsorships, total around $300 million. Forbes estimates he is worth about $1.2 billion.
His international journey includes appearances at six World Cups and six European Championships
Retirement 2026
“Thank you, Captain. Some players score goals. Others inspire generations. Cristiano Ronaldo has done both. Beyond the goals, what remains are memories that we will pass down from generation to generation,” the PFF Fan Club said on its website.
“The goals pass, the cups are in museums, the records end up being beaten. But there is something that time can never erase, the place we occupy in people’s hearts,” Ronaldo said in his video.
He and his longtime partner, Georgina Rodriguez, have five children.
Lionel Messi, 39, announced his retirement from the Argentina National Team on Aug. 31. The announcement followed the death of his father, Jorge Messi, on Aug. 8, at age 68, after a long illness. Messi’s No. 10 will not be used by any other player during the upcoming international break, according to international football media.
With two MVP-winning seasons in Major League Soccer, Messi is thought to have raised American soccer’s profile.
Eventually, No. 7 and No. 10 will be assigned to up-and-comers. FIFA rules require the World Cup and Copa América to use consecutive numbers from 1 to 26, with a number assigned to every player on the roster.
In American NFL football, for example, the numbering system is rigid according to position. American MLB, numbers reflect status and time. American soccer, like MLS, player numbers are assigned using a combination of positions, permanent club numbers, and national team tracking, according to US Soccer.
