Cristiano Ronaldo’s days of being the face of Portugal’s national soccer team are over. The 41-year-old announced his retirement from international play on Thursday.
No soccer player has made more appearances or scored more goals for his country. Ronaldo played in 234 games, scoring 146 goals in international play.
“The day has come for me to hand back the No. 7 shirt of our national team,” Ronaldo said in a video announcement on Thursday. “I never thought it belonged to me alone. But for 23 years, I had the privilege and the responsibility of wearing it.”
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The Portuguese soccer federation said in a statement that it would honor Ronaldo with “due tribute” during its upcoming matches.
Ronaldo did not lead his nation to a World Cup title, but Portugal did win the European Championship in 2016.
“For me, [it] has the same value as the World Cup, honestly,” he told reporters during this summer’s World Cup, during which Portugal lost to Spain in the round of 16.
On Thursday, he said of his retirement, “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. If I ever made you happy, if one of my goals ever made you hug someone, forget a worry or feel proud of our country, then it was all worth it.”
The former Real Madrid star has not stepped away from the pitch entirely. He continues to play for Saudi Arabian club Al-Nassr FC, where he has built his career goals to 985.
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