The 41-year-old calls time on his illustrious 23-year career playing for his country, where he scored 146 goals in 234 games, becoming the all-time leading scorer in the history of men’s international football.
asserted
he → call → football
He lifted the European Championships in 2016, and he also won two Nations League titles in 2019 and 2025.
asserted
he → lift → 2019
At last summer’s World Cup, the striker could not stop his side crashing out in the last 16 against Spain, when Mikel Merino netted a last-minute winner.
uncertain
Merino → stop → winner
Now, the curtain has come down on his international journey, just weeks after his historic rival Lionel Messi did the same with Argentina.
asserted
rival → come → Argentina
In an emotional five-minute video posted to his social media channels, Ronaldo addressed the Portuguese people.
asserted
Ronaldo → post → people
"To the Portuguese people, the day has come to hand back the shirt and the captain's armband of the national team that belongs to all of us,” he began.
asserted
he → come → us
"I never felt that it was exclusively mine, but for 23 years, I had the privilege
asserted
I → feel → privilege
"Today, the moment has come to pass it on to the future.
asserted
moment → come → future
It was not an easy decision, because some decisions are not made with the head alone.
asserted
decisions → make → head
They are also made with the heart.
asserted
They → make → heart
I am bringing to an end a journey that began in August 2003 and changed my life forever.
asserted
that → bring → life
"When I look back and think about everything I experienced with the national team, I don't just see matches, goals, records, or trophies.
asserted
I → look → matches
I see people.
"
asserted
I → see → people
Throughout my entire career with the national team, I always tried to push beyond my limits.
asserted
I → try → limits
I wanted to win, I wanted to be the best, I wanted to make history.
"
asserted
I → want → history
I was always demanding of myself.
asserted
I → demand → myself
I always wanted more.
asserted
I → want → more
I always believed we could go further, and I gave everything I had for this shirt.
uncertain
I → believe → shirt
There were victories I will never forget.
asserted
I → be → ?
There were defeats that still hurt to remember today.
asserted
that → be → ?
I also failed.
asserted
I → fail → ?
I also suffered.
asserted
I → suffer → ?
There were moments when I couldn't give the Portuguese people what they wanted so badly.
asserted
they → be → what
But I never gave up.
asserted
I → give → ?
And above all, I never stopped feeling proud to represent Portugal.
asserted
I → stop → Portugal
"Over these years, I learned some very simple things: goals come and go, trophies end up in museums, records are eventually broken, but there is something that time can never erase.
asserted
time → learn → that
"The place I hold in people's hearts.
asserted
I → hold → hearts
"If I ever made you happy, if one of my goals ever made you hug someone, forget a worry, or feel proud of our country, then it was all worth it.
asserted
it → make → country
We suffer together.
asserted
We → suffer → ?
We get back up together.
asserted
We → get → ?
We believe again.
asserted
We → believe → ?
"Portugal will always need young people who dream, players who never give up, and new generations who believe it is possible to reach places no one has reached before.
"
asserted
one → need → places
Because a country that continues to create new heroes is a country that never stops believing in itself.
asserted
that → continue → itself
To my national team teammates, I want to leave a special message.
asserted
I → want → message
Thank you for every run, every hug, every argument, every moment of silence before stepping onto the pitch, every victory we celebrated together, and every defeat that made us stronger.
asserted
us → thank → pitch
"I had the privilege of being your captain, but no captain walks alone, and you are all part of my story.
asserted
you → have → story
To all the coaches, directors, doctors, physiotherapists, kit managers, staff members, and the many people who worked with me throughout these years, thank you.
asserted
who → work → you
"Many of you never appeared in the photographs, but without you, none of those photographs would have been possible.
asserted
none → appear → photographs
"Thank you for understanding the absences, the sacrifices, and the moments when the national team had to take up a space that also belonged to you.
asserted
that → thank → you
"If I made it this far, it was because we always walked hand in hand.
asserted
we → make → hand
…and 18 more, not listed.
The Aporia
