Ronaldo gives up national team shirt as No. 7 era comes to an end

Cristiano Ronaldo has announced his retirement from international football. The Al Nassr forward made the decision public in an emotional video message shared on social media. Ronaldo said he will hand back Portugal's legendary No. 7 shirt after the November international break.

Ronaldo made 234 appearances for his country and scored 146 goals in his international career. These figures are a world record in men's international football. He began his career against Kazakhstan on 20 August 2003 and for almost 23 years was the face of Portuguese football.

Saying that the decision to hand over the shirt was not easy, Ronaldo wrote in his message: "These decisions are not made with the mind alone. They are also made with the heart." He described football in these words: "Football is much bigger than a game. Football is people."

A five-time Ballon d'Or winner, Ronaldo recalled unforgettable victories as well as painful defeats. He thanked his teammates, the coaching staff, federation officials, the medical team and his family, who shared the sacrifices of his career, and expressed his gratitude to them.