Portuguese icon Ronaldo: unstoppable goalscorer whose star slowly faded

The 41-year-old retired from international football after 234 caps and 146 goals, ending nearly a quarter-century with Portugal.

Cristiano Ronaldo has ended his international career with Portugal after nearly 25 years, the federation confirmed. The 41-year-old leaves as Portugal's all-time leading international goalscorer with 146 goals in 234 appearances, a record unmatched in Portuguese football history.

Ronaldo's journey from a young dribbler mocked for his Madeiran accent to one of football's greatest strikers is documented in the piece. He debuted for Portugal in 2003 at 18 and evolved under Sir Alex Ferguson at Manchester United from a showman into a ruthless goalscorer. His peak years saw him win multiple Ballon d'Or awards and carry Portugal through qualifying campaigns, including a hat-trick against Sweden that secured the 2014 World Cup spot.

His greatest regret was the 2016 European Championship, where he was injured early in the final against France and could only watch from the sideline as Portugal won. He later celebrated Nations League victories in 2019 and 2025. In recent years, as his physical powers declined, debate grew over whether he had become a burden on a talented Portuguese generation, yet successive coaches continued to select him until now.