LISBON (The Thursday Times) — Cristiano Ronaldo ne Jumerat ko international football se retirement ka elan kar diya, jis ke sath Portugal ke liye un ka 23 saala career khatam ho gaya. Is dauran unhon ne 146 goals aur 234 matches ke sath mardon ke aalmi record qaim kiye.
41 saala Ronaldo ne X par ek taweel video mein kaha: “Portugali awam se kehna hai ke woh din aa gaya hai jab main qaumi team ki number 7 shirt wapas kar raha hoon.” Unhon ne mazeed kaha: “Goals guzar jate hain, cup ajaib gharon mein rakhe rehte hain, aur record aakhirkar toot jate hain.”
Unhon ne 2003 mein Portugal ke liye pehla match khela, 2016 ka Euro aur 2019 aur 2025 mein Nations League jeeti, aur 12 bare tournament khele: chhe World Cup aur chhe European Championships. Portugal haliya World Cup ke round of 16 mein baad mein champion banne wale Spain se haar kar bahar hua tha.
Yeh faisla naye head coach Jorge Jesus se ikhtilaf ke baad samne aaya hai. Norway ke khilaf 2-1 ki jeet mein Ronaldo bench par rahe, aur woh 1 October ko Denmark ke khilaf match se ek sham pehle qaumi camp chhor gaye thay. Un ka aakhri match Wales ke khilaf 1-0 ki jeet tha.
Portuguese Football Federation ne kaha ke unhen mustaqbil mein shayan-e-shan khiraj-e-tehseen pesh kiya jayega. Federation ne kaha: “Har cheez ke liye shukriya, captain! Yeh hamesha aap ka ghar rahega!” Ronaldo ab bhi Al Nassr ke liye khel rahe hain aur career ke ek hazar goals ke taaqub mein hain.
