Cristiano Ronaldo: The Man Who Changed Portuguese Football History and Left World Records for Future Generations to Chase - Thairath English

Cristiano Ronaldo: The man who changed the history of Portuguese football and left world records for future generations to pursue.

Cristiano Ronaldo officially ended his career with the "Seleção" Portugal national team on 5 Nov 2026, after representing his homeland for 23 years from 2003 to 2026. He played 234 matches, scored 146 goals, and won the Euro 2016 title—the first European Championship in Portugal's history—as well as two UEFA Nations League titles in 2018–19 and 2024–25.

On 20 Aug 2003, Ronaldo made his senior national team debut at age 18 in a friendly match, a 1-0 win over Kazakhstan. On 12 June 2004, he scored his first senior international goal in a 1-2 loss against Greece during Euro 2004.

On 17 June 2006, Ronaldo participated in his first World Cup, scoring his first World Cup goal in a 2-0 victory against Iran. Then on 6 Feb 2007, he captained Portugal for the first time in a friendly against Brazil.

He reached 100 international caps on 16 Oct 2012 during a World Cup qualifier against Northern Ireland. About a year later, on 6 Sept 2013, he scored his first international hat trick in a 4-2 win over Northern Ireland. On 5 March 2014, Ronaldo became Portugal’s all-time top scorer by netting two goals against Cameroon, surpassing Pauleta's record of 47 goals.

On 10 July 2016, Ronaldo played a crucial role in leading Portugal to their first major trophy, winning Euro 2016 by beating host nation France 1-0 in extra time. Two years later, on 15 June 2018, he scored a hat trick against Spain in a thrilling 3-3 draw at the 2018 World Cup finals.

His second major title came on 9 June 2019, when he helped Portugal win their first UEFA Nations League by defeating the Netherlands 1-0 in the final. On 8 Sept 2020, Ronaldo scored his 100th goal for Portugal in a Nations League victory over Sweden, 2-0.

Ronaldo became the world's all-time leading male international scorer on 1 Sept 2021 by netting two late goals against Ireland, breaking Iran’s Ali Daei's record of 109 goals and establishing himself as the highest-scoring male international player in history.

His scoring streak continued as he became the first male player to score in five consecutive World Cups by 24 Nov 2022. On 20 June 2023, he reached 200 international caps, becoming the first male player worldwide to achieve this milestone, in a 1-0 win over Iceland.

On 18 June 2024, Ronaldo set another record by playing in six consecutive UEFA European Championships from 2004 to 2024. Then on 8 June 2025, he led Portugal to their second UEFA Nations League title, winning on penalties 5-3 against Spain after a 2-2 draw, marking their second championship in this competition.

On 23 June 2026, Ronaldo scored twice against Uzbekistan at the 2026 World Cup, becoming the first player to score in six World Cups. He also surpassed Eusébio’s Portuguese World Cup goal record by reaching 11 goals.

On 24 September 2026, Ronaldo played his final match for Portugal in a 1-0 UEFA Nations League win over Wales. Then, on 5 November 2026, he officially announced his retirement from international football via a video statement, ending a 23-year and 35-day journey with the "Seleção" and leaving a legendary legacy in the football world.