BARCELONA – Cristiano Ronaldo announced his intention to retire from the Portuguese national team on Nov 5 in a social media post.

The 41-year-old said that he would “hand back the No. 7 shirt” after the November international break.

“The day has come back for me to hand back the number 7 shirt of our national team,” he said.

“I never felt it belonged to me alone. But for 23 years I had the privilege and the responsibility of wearing it, defending it, and carrying it with me into stadiums all around the world.

“Today, the time has come to pass it on to the future. It was not an easy decision. Because some decisions are not made with the mind alone. They are also made with the heart.

“A journey that began in August 2003 and changed my life forever has come to an end. When I look back at everything with the national team, I don’t just see the matches, goals, records or trophies.

“I see people. I see the 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.

“Because at the end of the day, football is so much bigger than a game. Football is about people.”

Ronaldo has made 234 appearances for Portugal and scored 146 goals.

He holds the all-time record for international appearances and for international goals. REUTERS