Cristiano Ronaldo has revealed he is to retire from international football.
The former Manchester United and Real Madrid star confirmed this the news in a video message, which you can check out below.
In the video, Cristiano Ronaldo said: "To the Portuguese people, the day has come for me to hand back the number seven shirt of our national team".
While he did not refer to the incident specifically in his video message, Ronaldo did admit that he has made "mistakes".
"When I look back at everything I experienced with the national team, I don't just see matches, goals records or trophies, I see people", Ronaldo continued.
"I see Portuguese people living abroad who, for 90 minutes, felt a little closer to home. I see millions of Portuguese people I have never met but who became part of my life", he added. "Because, at the end of the day, football is so much bigger than a game. Football is about people".
"Throughout my entire career with the national team, I always pushed myself beyond my limits. I wanted to win. I wanted to be better. I wanted to make history. I always demanded the most of myself. I always wanted more.
"I always believed we could go further. And I gave everything I had for this shirt. There were perfect afternoons and nights, there were victories I will never forget. There were defeats that still hurt to remember".
"I made mistakes. I suffered. There were also moments where I couldn't give the Portuguese people what they so desperately wanted. But I never gave up and, above all, I never stopped feeling proud to represent Portugal".
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Over his international career, Cristiano Ronaldo made 234 appearances for Portugal, debuting in 2003, going on to score 146 goals for his country, and break all kinds of records in the process.
Ronaldo continued: "Over the years I learned a few very simple things: goals fade, trophies end up in museums, records are eventually broken, but there is something time can never erase, the place we hold in people's hearts".
"If I ever made you happy, if one of my goals ever made you embrace someone, forget a worry or feel proud of our country, then it was all worth it.
"Thank you for allowing me to live a dream that began when I was just a little boy in Madeira running after a football.
"The number seven shirt will remain. The pride of having worn it will be mine forever. Portugal will always be a part of me. Farewell, until we meet again".
Cristiano Ronaldo led Portugal to Euro 2016 glory, when the beat tournament hosts France 1-0. He also won the Nations League in 2019 and 2025.
Overall, Ronaldo played in a record six European Championships and a joint six World Cups. He also holds the record for most international victories with 141.
Paying tribute to Ronaldo, the Portuguese Football Federation hailed him as the country's "eternal captain", promising to organise an event in his honour.
"It is with a feeling of deep gratitude and immense admiration that the Portuguese Football Federation publicly praises and thanks Cristiano Ronaldo's absolutely extraordinary career at the service of our country,", their statement read.
"Cristiano Ronaldo raised the name of Portugal and inspired generations of young people who dream of following in his footsteps, being for many of us, the best player of all time!
"Therefore, the Portuguese Football Federation refuses to let this goodbye be made without due tribute.
"It is our firm and enormous desire to organise, plan, participate and actively collaborate in what will always be a tribute to the height of Cristiano Ronaldo's immense career, in which the fans and the country can applaud and celebrate, once again, the player who gave us so much".
