Cristiano Ronaldo has officially ended his captaincy of the Portugal national team. After an extraordinary career wearing the red jersey, the Portuguese star is leaving the national side with an impressive record: 146 goals in 234 matches.
At the age of 41, Ronaldo has decided to bring his international career to an end, leaving behind numerous records and a legacy that will be hard to repeat. He played his last match for Portugal in September, in the game against Wales, which Portugal won 1-0. In that match, CR7 scored a goal that was disallowed for offside.
His journey with the national team began in August 2003, when he was only 18 years old. He made his debut in a friendly match against Kazakhstan. From that moment on, Ronaldo became the symbol of Portuguese football and one of the greatest players in the history of the sport.
The legendary captain took part in six editions of the World Cup with Portugal, setting a unique record: he is the only footballer to have scored in six different World Cups.
His contribution in terms of trophies is also outstanding. Ronaldo won the Nations League twice, in 2019 and 2025, as well as the European Championship in 2016.
That triumph remains one of the most emotional moments of his career. In the final against France, Ronaldo was forced to leave the field in the 22nd minute of the first half due to an injury, in tears and disappointment.
However, he did not leave the squad, but followed the rest of the match from the sidelines, becoming a kind of extra coach for his teammates.
