▲ Ronaldo announcing his retirement from the national team
Portuguese football legend Cristiano Ronaldo has announced his retirement from the national team.
This comes about a month after he caused a stir by leaving the national team camp without permission during a call-up.
Ronaldo announced his retirement from the national team via social media, and major foreign news outlets including the AP, AFP, and Reuters urgently reported the news in unison.
"For 23 years, I have had the privilege and responsibility of wearing, defending, and carrying the national team's No. 7 jersey to stadiums across the world," Ronaldo said.
"The time has come to pass on this jersey to the future. It was not an easy decision. Some decisions are not made with just the head, but also with the heart. A journey that began in August 2003 and changed my life forever has come to an end," he added.
Making his debut for the Portugal national team in 2003 at the age of 18, Ronaldo has made 234 appearances in A-matches and scored 146 goals.
He holds the all-time record in men's football in both categories.
Having been the centerpiece of the Portugal national team for over 20 years, Ronaldo has played in six World Cups and scored in all of them.
In 2016, he contributed to winning the UEFA European Championship.
It remains Portugal's sole major tournament title.
Ronaldo also led Portugal to two UEFA Nations League (UNL) titles.
Having achieved stellar results as a national team player, Ronaldo stated that the 2026 North and Central America World Cup, which concluded last July, would be his final World Cup, but had avoided giving a definitive answer regarding his retirement from the national team.
He received a call-up from manager Jorge Jesus, who took charge after the World Cup, and was included in the UNL squad for the September–October A-match period.
Ronaldo started in the UNL opening match against Wales on September 25 and played for 67 minutes, but remained on the bench for the second match against Norway three days later.
It appeared that Ronaldo was gradually being edged out of manager Jesus's plans.
When manager Jesus stated that he would not start Ronaldo for the third match against Denmark, Ronaldo left the national team training camp without permission altogether.
The Portuguese Football Federation (FPF) imposed a disciplinary sanction on October 20, handing Ronaldo a 30-day suspension and a fine of 255 euros, which is approximately 380,000 won in Korean currency.
As the suspension was applied retroactively and lifted at the end of October, there were no obstacles for Ronaldo to play in the November A-matches.
Manager Jesus also left the door open for a return, stating, "Ronaldo can return to the national team if he wants."
However, Ronaldo chose to put an end to his national team career himself.
Having secured early qualification for the quarterfinals with consecutive victories in all four UNL matches during September and October even without Ronaldo, Portugal is set to play its final two group-stage matches against Denmark on the 15th and Wales on the 18th.
It remains uncertain whether Ronaldo will play in the matches against Denmark and Wales.
Germany's dpa news agency reported, "Considering the discord with the manager, it seems difficult for Ronaldo to play a farewell match in person."
The FPF announced that it will hold a tribute event for Ronaldo's final chapter.
However, it is not yet known whether this event will take in the form of a match.
In a statement released after his retirement announcement, the FPF said, "We will not let his departure happen without the tribute he rightfully deserves," adding, "We will create a place for fans and the public to once again applaud a player who has given so much to us."
(Photo: Capture from Ronaldo's Instagram video, Yonhap News)
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