Cristiano Ronaldo has brought his international career with Portugal to an end, closing a remarkable chapter in a football journey that has spanned more than two decades.
The 41-year-old forward will now focus on club football with Saudi Arabian side Al-Nassr as he continues his pursuit of an unprecedented 1,000 career goals.
Ronaldo currently has 985 official career goals, leaving him just 15 short of the historic milestone.
From his breakthrough at Manchester United to his record-breaking years at Real Madrid and international success with Portugal, the five-time Ballon d’Or winner has produced some of football’s most memorable moments.
Here are 12 iconic moments that defined his career.
1. The friendly that changed everything (2003)
Ronaldo’s rise to global football began with a pre-season friendly between Sporting Lisbon and Manchester United in 2003.
The then 18-year-old impressed United’s players with his performance, helping Sporting secure a 3-1 victory.
His display convinced the English club to sign him for £12 million, with manager Sir Alex Ferguson describing him as one of the most exciting young players he had ever seen.
2. First Premier League title with Manchester United (2007)
Ronaldo established himself as one of Europe’s finest young players during the 2006-07 season.
He scored 17 Premier League goals, won the Player of the Year and Young Player of the Year awards, and helped Manchester United claim the league title.
The following season brought even greater success as he won his first Champions League trophy and another Premier League title.
3. The stunning Porto goal (2009)
One of Ronaldo’s most memorable Manchester United goals came against Porto in the Champions League quarter-finals in April 2009.
He unleashed a powerful long-range strike from about 40 yards to help United advance to the semi-finals.
The goal won the inaugural FIFA Puskas Award for the best goal of the year.
Months later, Ronaldo completed his move to Real Madrid for a then-world-record £80 million.
4. El Clasico winner seals Copa del Rey (2011)
Ronaldo delivered a defining moment in his early Real Madrid career when he scored the winning goal against Barcelona in the 2011 Copa del Rey final.
He rose above the Barcelona defence to head home Angel Di Maria’s cross during extra time, securing a 1-0 victory.
It was his first winning goal in a major cup final and helped Real Madrid claim their first Copa del Rey trophy in seven years.
5. Becomes Real Madrid’s all-time leading scorer (2015)
Ronaldo made history in October 2015 when he became Real Madrid’s all-time leading scorer.
His goal against Levante in a 3-0 La Liga victory took his tally to 324 goals in 310 appearances, surpassing the previous club record.
He eventually finished his Real Madrid career with 450 goals in 438 appearances, establishing himself as one of the club’s greatest players.
6. Leads Portugal to Euro 2016 glory
International success had long been missing from Ronaldo’s remarkable collection of achievements until Portugal won the 2016 European Championship.
Portugal defeated hosts France 1-0 in the final in Paris, with Eder scoring the decisive goal in extra time.
Ronaldo had to leave the pitch in tears during the first half after picking up an injury, but continued encouraging his teammates from the sidelines.
He finished the tournament with three goals and three assists and was named in the team of the tournament.
7. Wins fifth Ballon d’Or (2017)
Ronaldo won his fifth Ballon d’Or in 2017 after another outstanding season with Real Madrid.
He helped the Spanish club win both the Champions League and La Liga, scoring twice in the Champions League final against Juventus.
The award followed his previous victories in 2008, 2013, 2014 and 2016.
Although Lionel Messi has since moved ahead with eight Ballon d’Or awards, Ronaldo remains one of the most decorated players in the history of the honour.
8. First player to score 100 Champions League goals (2017)
Ronaldo became the first player to reach 100 goals in the UEFA Champions League in April 2017.
He achieved the milestone with a hat-trick against Bayern Munich in the quarter-final second leg.
He eventually finished with 141 goals in 187 appearances in the competition, a record that established his reputation as one of its greatest performers.
9. The unforgettable bicycle kick against Juventus (2018)
Ronaldo produced one of the greatest goals in Champions League history during Real Madrid’s quarter-final clash with Juventus in April 2018.
He leapt high into the air before executing a spectacular bicycle kick that sent the ball into the back of the net.
The goal was so impressive that even Juventus supporters stood to applaud him.
The moment became even more memorable when Ronaldo joined Juventus a few months later.
10. Becomes the first player to win five Champions League titles (2018)
Ronaldo reached another historic milestone in 2018 when Real Madrid defeated Liverpool to win the Champions League.
It was his fifth title in the competition, having won his first with Manchester United in 2008 before securing four more with Real Madrid in 2014, 2016, 2017 and 2018.
He became the first player to win the competition five times under its modern format.
11. Breaks the men’s international goals record (2021)
Ronaldo broke Ali Daei’s long-standing record for the most goals in men’s international football in September 2021.
Daei had scored 109 goals for Iran, but Ronaldo surpassed that mark with two late headers against the Republic of Ireland in a World Cup qualifying match.
He continued adding to his tally and ended his Portugal career with a record 146 international goals in 234 appearances.
He also holds the record for the most appearances in men’s international football.
12. Reaches 900 career goals (2024)
Ronaldo made history again in September 2024 when he became the first player to score 900 official senior career goals.
He reached the milestone during Portugal’s Nations League victory over Croatia.
His tally has since increased to 985 goals, leaving him just 15 away from becoming the first player to reach 1,000 official career goals.
His goals have come across spells at Sporting Lisbon, Manchester United, Real Madrid, Juventus, Al-Nassr and the Portugal national team.
A career defined by records
Ronaldo’s international retirement marks the end of an era for Portugal, where he became the country’s most celebrated footballer.
He leaves behind records for international goals and appearances, five Ballon d’Or awards, five Champions League titles and numerous domestic honours.
Although he is yet to win the FIFA World Cup, his Euro 2016 triumph gave Portugal its first major international trophy.
