Cristiano Ronaldo, the international football superstar, announced his retirement from the Portugal national football team on Thursday. This decision comes as he continues to play for Al Nassr in Saudi Arabia and is expected to remain until the end of the current season in the Saudi Professional League.
Ronaldo's Emotional Farewell
In an emotional video dedicated to his Portuguese fans, Ronaldo stated, "The day has come for me to return the national team's number seven jersey, which belongs to all of us." He continued, "At the end of the day, football is more than just a game. Football is about the people."
Read more: Cristiano Ronaldo Ends His International Career
Ronaldo's Future at Al Nassr
Ronaldo did not mention his future at Al Nassr in the video. However, reports suggest that he will stay with the club for the remainder of the current season in the Saudi Professional League. Ronaldo signed a two-year contract with Al Nassr in 2025 and is expected to play a key role in the team's efforts to defend their championship title.
Saudi Arabia is scaling back parts of its sports programs due to financial pressures from regional conflicts. The country's Public Investment Fund withdrew its financial resources from the LIV Golf League last April, and this competition announced on Thursday that it plans to undergo a complete liquidation in bankruptcy court.
Impact of the Yemen War on Saudi Football
The war with the Houthis in Yemen has also affected Saudi football. The Saudi Professional League announced on Tuesday that it has postponed scheduled matches for this week and intends to conduct a "broader review" of the game schedules. The current season will continue until May 2027.
Al Nassr is currently striving to defend its championship title, having won the league last season, which was Ronaldo's first championship with the club. The team is currently in third place in the standings. In their last match, Ronaldo scored a hat-trick on October 29 in a 5-3 home victory against Al-Kholoud.
Issues within the Portugal National Team
This announcement comes after a disagreement with Portugal's head coach, Jorge Jesus. Ronaldo left the national team's camp last September after Jesus announced that the striker would not start in the next match. Portugal was eliminated in the round of 16 of last summer's World Cup by Spain, who ultimately became the tournament champions.
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