Five-time Ballon d'Or winner Cristiano Ronaldo announced on Thursday he won’t play for Portugal anymore, ending a career that spanned six World Cups and included a European title and the men’s all-time international scoring record.
It was a sad ending to a lauded career that began more than two decades ago before Euro 2004 and finished with him walking out on the national team after falling out with coach Jorge Jesus.
"To the Portuguese people, the day has come for me to hand back the No. 7 shirt of our national team,” the 41-year-old Ronaldo said in a long video message on social media.
"I never felt it belonged to me alone but for 23 years I had the privilege and the responsibility of wearing it, defending it and carrying it with me into stadiums all around the world.”
The 41-year-old, a pillar of Portuguese football for over two decades, helped the team win the Euro 2016 title and two UEFA Nations League crowns. He represented Portugal in six World Cups, with his last campaign ending in a 1-0 defeat to Spain in the Round of 16. Cristiano, also holds the distinction of being the only player to score in six different editions of the tournament. However, despite his individual record and long spanning career on the international stage, a world cup victory has not been in the cards for him.
