Ronaldo "It's time to hand over the number 7 jersey"... Portugal national soccer team retirement (comprehensive)

(Seoul = Yonhap News) Reporter Ahn Hong-seok = Portuguese soccer legend Cristiano Ronaldo (41, Al Nasr) announced his retirement from the national team.

It has been about a month since he caused a stir by leaving the team without permission during a national team call-up.

Ronaldo announced on Instagram on the 5th (Korean time) that he would retire from the national team. Major foreign news outlets, including AP, AFP, and Reuters, all reported this urgently.

“For 23 years, I have had the privilege and responsibility of wearing, guarding and carrying the national team’s number 7 shirt to stadiums around the world,” Ronaldo said.

“It is time to pass this uniform on to the future. It was not an easy decision, because some decisions are not just made with your head, but with your heart as well. This is the end of a journey that began in August 2003 and changed my life forever,” he said.

Ronaldo, who debuted for the Portuguese national team in 2003 at the age of 18, played in 234 international matches and scored 146 goals. Both categories are the highest records in men's soccer history.

Ronaldo, who has been a mainstay of the Portuguese national team for over 20 years, has played in six World Cups and scored in all of them.

In 2016, he contributed to winning the Euro (European Football Championship). It is Portugal's only major championship win.

Ronaldo also helped Portugal win the UEFA Nations League (UNL) twice.

Ronaldo, who achieved brilliant results as a member of the national team, said that the 2026 North and Central America World Cup, which ended in July, was his last World Cup, but he has avoided giving a definite answer about his retirement from the national team.

He was called by coach Jorge Jesus, who took office after the World Cup, and was also included in the UNL call-up list during the September-October international match period.

Ronaldo started in the first UNL game against Wales on September 25 and played 67 minutes, but only stayed on the bench in the second game against Norway three days later.

It seemed that Ronaldo was gradually being pushed out of Coach Jejus' plan.

When coach Jesus announced that he would not be selected as a starter in the third game against Denmark, Ronaldo left the national team's training camp without permission.

On the 20th of last month, the Portuguese Football Federation (FPF) suspended Ronaldo for 30 days and fined him 255 euros (about 380,000 won).

The disciplinary action was applied retroactively and was lifted at the end of October, so it did not hinder Ronaldo from playing international matches in November.

Coach Jejus also left the door open for a return, saying, “Ronaldo can return to the national team if he wants.”

However, Ronaldo chose to end his national team career on his own.

Portugal, who secured an early advance to the quarterfinals by winning all four games in the UNL in September and October even without Ronaldo, will play the last two group stage games against Denmark on the 15th and Wales on the 18th.

It is unclear whether Ronaldo will play in the games against Denmark and Wales.

Germany's dpa news agency said, "Considering the disagreement with the coach, it seems difficult for Ronaldo to play his own farewell game."

FPF announced that it would hold a tribute event for Ronaldo's final days. However, it is unknown whether this event will be in the form of a competition.

In a statement released after announcing his retirement, FPF said, "We will not allow him to say goodbye without the tribute he deserves," and added, "We will create an opportunity for fans and the public to once again applaud the player who gave us so much."