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Is Cristiano Ronaldo retiring from soccer? What to know about Portugal retirement

Cristiano Ronaldo is calling it quits for the Portugal national team, but that doesn't mean the legendary forward is hanging up his boots entirely.

Ronaldo announced his international retirement on Thursday, Nov. 5, bringing an end to a 23-year career with Portugal.

The 41-year-old enjoyed a distinguished career for his country, playing in six World Cups and scoring 146 goals in 234 appearances. The goals and appearance marks are both all-time records for a men's player.

Is Cristiano Ronaldo retiring from soccer?

Ronaldo will not be retiring from soccer entirely — at least not yet.

The forward continues to star for Saudi club Al-Nassr, where he's played since 2023.

Ronaldo has been one of the top players in the Saudi Pro League since his arrival, winning the Golden Boot for the league's top scorer in both 2023–24 and 2024–25. Last season, he helped Al-Nassr to the league title.

The veteran forward continues to chase down the 1,000-goal milestone. After a hat trick last week, he moved to 985 career goals across club and country.

Should Ronaldo reach 1,000 goals, he would be the first player to do so in official senior matches.

When will Cristiano Ronaldo retire from soccer?

Though Ronaldo will carry on playing for Al-Nassr, his full retirement from soccer could be coming soon.

In an interview published this August, the Portuguese superstar told Vogue "This is probably my last year of football, and I want to leave a spectacular legacy."

In June 2025, Ronaldo signed a two-year extension with Al-Nassr, which will see his contract expire in June 2027.

If Ronaldo does retire at the end of this season, his final career matches would come in the spring of 2027.

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