A bitter end for Ronaldo - the icon who transformed Portugal

What the report says

Cristiano Ronaldo has retired from international football after 23 years with Portugal, ending a record-setting career that BBC Sport columnist Guillem Balague says finished on a strained note following a dispute with coach Jorge Jesus. According to the BBC report, Ronaldo was fined and suspended after leaving the national team training camp without permission, then later announced his retirement. His final appearance came against Wales on 24 September, and he departs with 146 goals in 234 matches, the most goals and caps by any player for Portugal.

The article places Ronaldo’s exit in the context of his long influence on the national team. Early in his career he was seen as brilliant but immature, yet he gradually became the central figure in Portugal’s rise from a team with little major tournament success to one expected to contend regularly. BBC Sport highlights his role in Portugal’s Euro 2016 triumph, the 2019 Nations League title and another Nations League win in 2025, as well as the way he shaped standards in the dressing room and carried the team’s ambitions.

Balague also notes that Ronaldo’s career with Portugal was marked by recurring tensions with coaches, but also by moments of leadership and loyalty. The report says the Portuguese federation plans a tribute to recognize his contribution. In broader terms, his retirement closes a defining era for Portugal football and raises questions about how the team will adapt without the player who has been its most prominent figure for two decades.