Ronaldo Says No To Retirement, Set To Continue With Portugal

Cristiano Ronaldo has firmly rejected any suggestion of international retirement, declaring his intention to continue representing Portugal once any disciplinary consequences from his recent fallout with head coach  have been resolved. 

The announcement came on Tuesday, October 6, following his departure from Portugal's training camp, a decision that stemmed from a disagreement with Jesus over his playing time during recent Nations League fixtures. 

The 41-year-old Portugal captain admitted his departure from the camp was wrong but vowed to remain available for the national team, even as he accepted he could face a suspension from the Portuguese Football Federation over his conduct. 

In a lengthy statement released through Portuguese media, Ronaldo directly addressed speculation that the controversy would end his 21-year international career.

"If I'm physically fit, playing for my club - scoring goals, I hope - after serving whatever suspension is imposed on me, I'll be available, as I've always been until now, to compete and win for our national team," Ronaldo said. 

He added a message to supporters about how his career will eventually end:

"I can promise all my fans, and naturally especially all Portuguese people, that we will have one or more farewell matches. There will be time for that," 

The superstar, who currently plays for , reiterated the same commitment in a second version of the statement: if he is fit and scoring for his club, after serving any ban, he will be available to compete and win for Portugal.

According to renowned insider , Ronaldo has decided not to retire from international football and remains available for Portugal and can return to the national team starting with the November international break. Romano summarized the development as: Ronaldo remains AVAILABLE for Portugal from the November window. 

At the centre of the dispute is an accusation from Ronaldo that Jesus, who previously managed him at Al Nassr, went back on his word on two separate occasions. 

Ronaldo said he had agreed to a plan for managing his playing time and that he expected the coach to publicly clarify the situation. He said Jesus did not follow through and instead spoke aggressively at a press conference, causing a breakdown of trust. 

One of those alleged broken promises concerned an agreement over Ronaldo's playing time in Portugal's match against Norway. 

Ronaldo also issued an apology for two specific incidents: his failure to acknowledge Portugal supporters following the Norway fixture and his decision to leave the squad ahead of the subsequent match against Denmark. He conceded that both actions could draw a formal sanction from the federation. 

Jesus replaced Roberto Martinez after Portugal's disappointing World Cup campaign ended in the round of 16 against eventual champions . 

Despite the public tension, Jesus had previously indicated that Ronaldo's return to the squad remained a possibility, describing the door as still open. 

Many had expected Ronaldo to retire after the 2026 World Cup. The 41-year-old confirmed in the summer that the 2026 World Cup would be his last, and when asked if he thought about retiring from international duty after the tournament, he responded: "Yes, I did". 

However, he has been included in Jorge Jesus' 25-man squad for Portugal's Nations League campaign, which begins against Wales in Lisbon. 

Ronaldo acknowledged he had considered his international future after Portugal's World Cup exit, but said talks with the Portuguese FA and Jesus convinced him to continue. 

In contrast to , who stepped away after the World Cup, Ronaldo is not following his longtime rival into international retirement just yet. 

A major factor in his decision is the historic milestone in front of him.

Ronaldo, now on 979 career goals — 833 for clubs and 146 for Portugal — is 21 short of the 1,000-goal landmark he has openly targeted. He remains the most-capped player and leading goalscorer in men's international football, with 146 goals in 234 appearances for his national team. 

Speaking at the Portugal Football Summit at the Portuguese FA headquarters outside Lisbon, he said:

"One goal is to achieve both – reaching 1,000 goals and the national team trying to win this Nations League. It's a new era with manager Jorge Jesus, whom we all know well; I just hope things go well for him," 

He described scoring his 1,000th goal for the national team as "the icing on the cake" and "a beautiful story."

For now, Portugal's coming months will be closely watched as the federation weighs any potential punishment and both parties navigate a relationship that remains strained but, for now, not entirely broken.