Cristiano Ronaldo has retired from international football to bring to an end to an illustrious career with Portugal.

He revealed his decision to quit playing for Portugal on Thursday, it comes at a time with a fallout with, Jorge Jesus, Portugal national team coach.

Bolanews highlights the iconic number 7’s biggest moments with the Portuguese team.

5.) 2018 World Cup Hat-Trick Against Spain

Regarded as one of the best games at the World Cup in the group stages, Cristiano Ronaldo was simply unplayable in Sochi. It was a game that ended in a stalemate against Spain with Ronaldo scoring all three goals for his side. The first goal was from the penalty spot, while the second came when he pounced on a mistake from the Spanish keeper. The third goal was simply magnificent, each perfect free kick in the 88th minute to rescue a point in a 3-3 draw.

4.) Ronaldo Out Classes Ibrahimović

During the 2014 World Cup Qualifying Play-Off vs. Sweden, Ronaldo scored a hat-trick in Stockholm to send Portugal to the World Cup.

Perhaps what made the fixture more interesting was the matchup between Cristiano Ronaldo and Zlatan Ibrahimovic, two of the greatest frontmen of our generation.

3.) 2019 UEFA Nations League Hat-Trick vs. Switzerland

If there is anything we will learn from this list, it is that Ronaldo had a niche for scoring hat-tricks; he netted a hat-trick in the semifinals—including a last-minute winner—to push Portugal to the inaugural Nations League final, where they beat the Netherlands to win the trophy.

2.) Euro 2016 Triumph:

Despite his evening coming to an unfortunate end due to an injury in the final against France, Ronaldo captained Portugal from the sidelines as they secured their first-ever major international trophy with an extra-time win by Éder. Displaying his influence on and off the pitch.

1.) Becoming All-Time Men’s Top Scorer (2021):

While Cristiano Ronaldo may have not won the FIFA World Cup, he holds one of the biggest individual achievements in football. While trailing against Ireland 1-0 in a World Cup qualifier, he scored two late headers in the 89th and 96th minutes to grab a 2-1 win and surpass Ali Daei’s record with his 111th international goal. He scored a record 146 times and made 234 appearances for his country after over two decades with the national team.

While his departure from the national team may not be the most pleasant, not every footballer reaches immortality. Ronaldo has had his fair share of ups and downs, but he has built a career that will be talked about for many years to come.