Cristiano Ronaldo retires from international football after 23 years with Portugal
The 41-year-old forward said it was time to hand back Portugal's number seven shirt, ending a national team career of 234 matches and 146 goals.
Portuguese forward Cristiano Ronaldo has announced his retirement from international football, closing a 23-year career with Portugal's national team, Edge Davao reported.
The 41-year-old made the announcement on Thursday. He leaves the national side with 234 appearances and 146 goals.
His decision follows reports of a falling-out last month with national coach Jorge Jesus. According to the report, Ronaldo was not fielded in a Nations League match and later left the team's training camp.
Ronaldo shared the news in a video on his Instagram account. He said it was time to give up the number seven jersey he had worn for more than two decades.
"To the Portuguese people, the day has come for me to hand back the number seven shirt of our national team," Ronaldo said.
He added that he never saw the shirt as his alone. He described wearing and defending it in stadiums around the world over 23 years as both a privilege and a responsibility.
This article was written by the DavaoNews desk with AI assistance, using reporting by Edge Davao. Facts come from the original report, which we credit and link below. Our editorial policy
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