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Cristiano Ronaldo's Instagram account. /Graphic by Park Jong-gyu

Football superstar Cristiano Ronaldo, 41, who plays for Saudi Arabian club Al Nassr, has announced his retirement from Portugal's national team.

Ronaldo announced his decision in an Instagram Reels video on Thursday, reading a farewell letter addressed to the Portuguese people.

"To the people of Portugal, the time has come for me to hand back the No. 7 shirt of our national team," Ronaldo said in the video. "For 23 years, it has been a privilege and a responsibility to wear this shirt, defend it and carry it onto pitches around the world."

"Now the time has come to pass the shirt on to the future," he continued. "It was not an easy decision. Some decisions must be made not only with the mind but also with the heart."

Reflecting on his international career, which began in August 2003, Ronaldo said that people came to mind before matches, goals, records or trophies.

"I think of the countless Portuguese people I have never met, but who became part of my life as they felt a little closer to Portugal for 90 minutes," he said. "Football is more than just a game. Football is about people."

Ronaldo also reflected on his efforts to push beyond his limits throughout his international career.

"I wanted to win, to be the best and to make history," he said. "I always demanded more of myself and believed we could go further. I gave everything I had for this shirt."

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Cristiano Ronaldo's Instagram account. /Instagram

He also recalled unforgettable victories, painful defeats and moments of regret.

"There were perfect afternoons and nights, and victories I will never forget. There were also defeats that are still difficult to think about," Ronaldo said. "I made mistakes and suffered. There were moments when I failed to deliver what the Portuguese people had hoped for, but I never gave up."

"Above all, I never lost the pride of representing Portugal," he emphasized.

"Goals come and go, trophies remain in museums, and records will eventually be broken," Ronaldo said. "But what time can never erase is the place we hold in people's hearts."

Ronaldo made his senior international debut for Portugal in August 2003 and served as the national team's star forward for 23 years. He scored 146 goals in 234 international appearances.

                                                                                                            Jeong A-reum