Cristiano Ronaldo ends Portugal career with emotional five-minute retirement speech

Cristiano Ronaldo has officially announced his retirement from international football through an emotional five-minute speech shared on his social media accounts. The 41-year-old forward concludes a historic 23-year international career that began in August 2003, during which he earned 234 caps and scored 146 goals for Portugal while winning the European Championship and the UEFA Nations League.

Ronaldo's final match for Portugal was a 1-0 Nations League victory against Wales in September. His decision to step down follows reports of a dispute with Portugal manager Jorge Jesus after Ronaldo was left on the bench against Norway, leading him to depart the training camp. In his farewell message, Ronaldo stated he is ready to hand back his iconic number seven shirt to the next generation.