Cristiano Ronaldo has reportedly made the irreversible decision to retire from international football, departing the Portugal national team camp following discussions with the President of the Portuguese Football Federation. According to reports in OJogo, the 41-year-old forward has resolved not to represent his nation again, citing a lack of future involvement with the squad.
The decision reportedly follows a disagreement with head coach Jorge Jesus. Ronaldo was allegedly dissatisfied with being relegated to the bench during Portugal’s recent victory over Norway, leading to his exit from the squad today. His final appearance for the national side was in last week’s 1-0 win against Wales, where he started and played just over an hour, despite having a goal disallowed during the match.
Throughout his decorated international career, Ronaldo made 234 appearances for Portugal, tallying 146 goals. His tenure was defined by major successes, including leading the team to victory in the 2016 UEFA Euros and securing two UEFA Nations League titles.
Speculation regarding his future has simmered since early summer, when he hinted to VOGUE that he was entering his final season of professional play. Recently, the 41-year-old married his long-term partner, Georgina Rodriguez. Despite stepping away from international duties, Ronaldo remains focused on his pursuit of 1,000 career goals; he is currently 21 strikes away from reaching that historic milestone. And is currently 21 away from reaching the milestone, cristiano Ronaldo still dreams of scoring 1000 goals in his career.
