Shocking News.. Ronaldo Decides to Retire from International Football with Portugal
The Portuguese newspaper "O Jogo" revealed a surprising development regarding Cristiano Ronaldo's future with the Portuguese national team, confirming that the team captain has made a final decision to retire internationally, thus ending his career in his country's jersey after more than two decades of service.
According to the report, the match against Wales in the UEFA Nations League was Ronaldo's last with the Portuguese national team, after he decided not to return to participate with the team in the upcoming period, a move that would put an end to one of the most prominent international careers in the history of football.
This development comes hours after Ronaldo officially left the Portuguese national team camp, following the press conference of coach Jorge Jesus, and after a conversation he had with the President of the Portuguese Football Federation, Pedro Proença.
The crisis began during the match against Norway, when Ronaldo remained on the substitutes' bench for the entire match despite participating in warm-ups, before Jesus later confirmed that the player was angry about not being fielded, while Ronaldo missed collective training sessions in the following two days.
Ronaldo had started as a regular against Wales at the beginning of the international break, before leaving the field during the second half, but his situation changed surprisingly in the match against Norway, leading to a rapid escalation of events and the crisis between the team captain and his new coach.
During his international career, Ronaldo played 234 matches for Portugal, scoring 146 goals, holding the record for the number of appearances and goals at the men's international level.
He also led his country to win the 2016 European Championship, in addition to winning the UEFA Nations League title in 2019 and 2025.
If the retirement decision is confirmed definitively, it will mark the end of an exceptional international career for Ronaldo, spanning over 20 years, which witnessed record-breaking numbers and historic titles that made his name one of the most prominent symbols of Portuguese football.