Ronaldo's most iconic moments as he retires from international football

What the report says

Cristiano Ronaldo has said his Portugal career is over, leaving the 41-year-old to continue only at club level with Al-Nassr. BBC Sport’s rundown of his most iconic moments frames the retirement as the closing chapter of an international career that also sits alongside spells at Sporting, Manchester United, Real Madrid and Juventus. Ronaldo is now focused on chasing 1,000 career goals, with his total reported by BBC Sport at 985.

The article revisits the moves and milestones that turned him into one of football’s defining figures. It highlights his breakthrough performance for Sporting against Manchester United in 2003, his rise at Old Trafford with Premier League and Champions League success, and his move to Real Madrid, where he became the club’s all-time leading scorer and later the first player to reach 100 Champions League goals. BBC Sport also points to some of his most famous moments, including a long-range strike against Porto, a decisive header in the Copa del Rey final against Barcelona and an acrobatic bicycle kick against Juventus that drew applause from opposing fans.

At international level, Ronaldo’s crowning achievement with Portugal came at Euro 2016, when the team beat France in the final. BBC Sport also notes his record as the top scorer in European Championship history and his later feat of becoming men’s international football’s leading scorer. More broadly, the piece places his retirement in the context of a career built on major trophies, individual awards and sustained scoring records across club and country.