Ronaldo's Portugal Career, 2003 to 2026: The Timeline
Cristiano Ronaldo's Portugal career ran from August 2003 to 5 November 2026, when he announced his retirement from international football. In between he won 234 caps, scored 146 goals, captained Portugal to Euro 2016 and won the UEFA Nations League twice. Here is the timeline of the moments that defined it.
The Ronaldo Portugal timeline
August 2003: the debut
Ronaldo won his first cap against Kazakhstan in August 2003. In his retirement letter he dates the whole journey from that month.
Euro 2016: the first major trophy
Portugal had never won a major tournament before 2016. Ronaldo captained the side that won the European Championship in France, the title most fans will remember him by.
2019: the first Nations League
Portugal won the first edition of the UEFA Nations League in 2019, a second trophy for Ronaldo's generation.
2025: Nations League again
Six years later Portugal won the Nations League for a second time, with Ronaldo still in the squad at 40.
2026: a last World Cup
In November 2025 Ronaldo said the 2026 World Cup in North America would be his last. If you want the shirts behind the biggest World Cup moments, our guide to iconic World Cup kits runs through them.
5 November 2026: the retirement
Ronaldo announced his international retirement in an Instagram video, saying he would hand back Portugal's number 7 shirt. He continues to play club football with Al-Nassr.
The records he leaves behind
His 234 caps and 146 goals are both records, per Al Jazeera, CNN and The Week. Both numbers grew over 23 years of qualifiers, tournaments and friendlies.
For the full story of the announcement, see our Ronaldo international retirement hub. If his career is the reason you started collecting, a mystery football shirt is an easy way to add to the pile without knowing what is coming. Buying for someone else? See our football gift ideas.