A bitter end for Ronaldo as the icon who transformed Portugal steps away

Cristiano Ronaldo's time with the Portugal national team is ending, and the way it is ending has left many fans feeling that a great chapter has closed on a sour note. Guillem Balague's analysis looks at what led to the decision and what the 41-year-old might do next, from a player who has been the defining figure of Portuguese football for nearly two decades.

It is hard to overstate how much Ronaldo has meant to his country. He made his debut in 2003 and went on to become the all-time leading goalscorer in men's international football, a record that stood out even among the sport's biggest names. His biggest achievement came at Euro 2016, when Portugal beat France in the final in Paris after Ronaldo was forced off injured early on. The Nations League title in 2019, won on home soil, added another major honour and showed how much the team had come to rely on him as both a leader and a scorer.

Balague's piece turns to the question many supporters are asking: how a career that began with so much promise reached this point, and whether the decision reflects a choice Ronaldo made on his own terms. For a player who has always been careful about his legacy, the way he leaves the stage matters as much as the trophies and records.

Portugal now faces the task of life without the player who shaped its modern era. Whatever comes next for Ronaldo, the national team will have to find a new identity, and the coming months will show whether the squad can build a future that honours what he achieved.