Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo , one of football’s all-time greats, has announced his retirement from international football, bringing the curtain down on a 23-year career with the national team. A Euro 2016 winner, Ronaldo bows out with 146 goals in 234 appearances, holding the records for most goals and appearances in men’s international football.
Here’s the full transcript of his retirement statement:
The day has come for me to hand back the number 7 shirt of our national team. 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. I see people; Portuguese people living abroad, who, for 90 minutes, felt a little closer to home.
Because at the end of the day, football is so much bigger than a game. Because we always walked hand in hand, if I came this far, it was. “To the Portuguese people. I never felt it belonged to me alone. When I look back at everything I experienced with the national team, I don’t just see matches, goals, records or trophies. I see millions of Portuguese people I have never met but who have become part of my life. Football is about people. Throughout my entire career with the national team. I always pushed myself beyond limits. I wanted to win. I wanted to be better. I wanted to make history. I always demanded the most of myself. I always wanted more. I always believed we could go further. And I gave everything I had for this shirt. There were perfect afternoons and nights. There were victories I will never forget. There were defeats that still hurt to remember. I made mistakes. I suffered. There were also moments when I couldn’t give the Portuguese people what they so desperately wanted. But I never gave up. And above all, I never stopped feeling wanting to represent Portugal. Over the years, I learned a few very simple things: Goals fade, trophies end up in museums. Records are eventually broken. But there is something that time can never erase. The place we hold in people’s hearts. If I ever made you happy, if one of my goals ever made you embrace someone, forget a worry, or feel very proud of our country, then it was all worth it. To my teammates, I want to say something special. Thank you for every run. For every embrace. For every silence before stepping onto the pitch. For every victory we celebrated together and every defeat that made us stronger. I had the privilege of being your captain, but no captain walks alone. And you will always be part of my story. To my family, thank you for sharing this dream with me. Thank you for understanding the absences, the sacrifices, and the moments with the national team had to take up a space in my life that also belonged to you.
