Cristiano Ronaldo has retired from international football, according to Pulse Nigeria. The 41-year-old ends a 23-year spell with the Portuguese national team, the Seleção, in which he scored 146 goals in 234 appearances. That record makes him the all-time leading scorer in men's international football.
The report shared a post that appears to carry his farewell message, in Portuguese: "Portugal estará sempre em mim". The source gives no further detail on the announcement, such as when or where it was made or any fuller statement from the player.
Five defining moments, according to Pulse Nigeria
The first was his debut. In August 2003, aged 18, Ronaldo won his first senior cap against Kazakhstan, coming on at half-time for Luis Figo. Pulse Nigeria says his pace and stepovers showed straight away that a generational talent had arrived.
The second was Portugal's first major trophy, a 1-0 win under manager Fernando Santos. The source says Ronaldo suffered an early knee injury against hosts France in the final. It adds that he stayed on the touchline beside Santos, passionately barking orders as his team won.
The third was a World Cup performance in Sochi, described as one of the greatest individual displays in the tournament. Ronaldo dragged Portugal to a 3-3 draw with Spain and completed his treble with a top-corner free-kick in the 88th minute.
The fourth was the record-breaking goal haul. Against the Republic of Ireland, Ronaldo passed Ali Daei's long-standing tally of 109 goals. He did it with two late headers, in the 89th and 96th minutes, which turned the match around.
The fifth was the inaugural UEFA Nations League title, won in front of home supporters. A semifinal hat-trick against Switzerland set up the final victory over the Netherlands. The source says this added a second major trophy to his international collection.
- Based on reporting byPulse Nigeria: Cristiano Ronaldo retires! 5 iconic moments of CR7's Portugal career
