The Portuguese Football Federation had made every arrangement to ensure Cristiano Ronaldo's availability for the upcoming international break. In the end, however, "CR7" will not be serving the symbolic suspension Portugal had set aside for him. On Thursday, the 41-year-old forward officially announced his retirement from international football. The storied partnership between Portugal and its five-time Ballon d'Or winner concludes on a dramatic note—a fitting end to an international journey packed with historic milestones. Here are the defining moments of Ronaldo's legendary career in national colours.

Heartbreak on Home Soil (Euro 2004)

Ronaldo's international career began under the shadow of a national heartbreak. At just 19 years old, the Sporting CP academy product was named in the starting lineup on the left flank for the Euro 2004 final on home soil. Having introduced himself to the tournament with a late consolation goal in an opening 2-1 defeat to Greece, Ronaldo faced the exact same opponents on the grandest stage. Unable to find the breakthrough in a 1-0 loss, a distraught teenager was left in tears, missing out on what would have been his first major international trophy.

The Wayne Rooney Clash and the Infamous Wink (World Cup 2006)

Manchester United teammates became bitter rivals in Gelsenkirchen when Portugal met England in the 2006 World Cup quarter-finals. Portugal ultimately advanced to the semi-finals via a penalty shootout (0-0, 3-1 on pens), but the match is best remembered for Wayne Rooney's 62nd-minute dismissal. Following Rooney's stamp on Ricardo Carvalho, Ronaldo hurried over to referee Horacio Elizondo to plead for a card. The English forward was shown a straight red, after which Ronaldo was caught on camera winking toward the Portuguese bench. It caused an immediate media storm in England, even if the two club teammates quickly put the incident behind them.

The Epic Solna Playoff Duel (World Cup 2014 Qualifying)

A blockbuster playoff tie pitted Zlatan Ibrahimović against Cristiano Ronaldo for a ticket to the 2014 World Cup in Brazil. After Ronaldo handed Portugal a 1-0 edge in the first leg, Ibrahimović struck twice in the return fixture to put Sweden on the brink of qualification. Ronaldo responded emphatically, scoring twice in the span of two minutes to complete a stunning hat-trick and seal a 3-2 victory. Less than two months later, CR7 lifted his second Ballon d'Or.

Tears, a Moth, and European Glory (Euro 2016)

Portugal were clear underdogs heading into the Euro 2016 final against hosts France at the Stade de France. Their chances looked even slimmer 25 minutes into the match, when Ronaldo was forced off on a stretcher in tears following a heavy challenge—a poignant moment underscored by a moth landing on his face as he lay on the turf. Yet his presence was still felt. Re-emerging with a heavily strapped left knee, the captain animatedly shouted instructions and encouraged his teammates from the technical area alongside manager Fernando Santos. Éder's extra-time winner secured a historic 1-0 victory, handing Portugal their first-ever major international honour.

The Masterclass Hat-Trick against Spain (World Cup 2018)

In one of the most thrilling group-stage matches in World Cup history, Ronaldo single-handedly took on Spain in Sochi. Having already scored a penalty and a strike that slipped through David De Gea's hands, Portugal found themselves trailing 3-2 late in the game after a wonder strike by Nacho. In the 88th minute, Ronaldo stepped up to take a free-kick. Curving the ball cleanly around the Spanish wall and into the top corner, he completed a magnificent hat-trick to rescue a 3-3 draw for the Seleção.

Golden Boot Dominance (Euro 2020)

Portugal's title defence was cut short in the round of 16 following a 1-0 defeat to Belgium, but Ronaldo left an indelible individual mark on the tournament. At 36, he dominated the group stage, racking up five goals and one assist, including a crucial brace against reigning world champions France (2-2). While three of his goals came from the penalty spot, his assist to Diogo Jota against Germany proved decisive, allowing him to edge out Patrik Schick for the tournament's top scorer award.

Breaking the All-Time International Goal Record (2021)

Fresh off his return to Manchester United, Ronaldo became the top male international goalscorer in football history on October 1, 2021. Trailing Iran's Ali Daei (109 goals), the Portuguese forward produced a vintage late double to power his side to a 2-1 World Cup qualifying win over the Republic of Ireland. Reaching 111 international goals with two towering headers, he celebrated the record in signature fashion:

"I am very happy to break the record and score twice, it's my record, one more record for the museum."

Having extended his remarkable international record to 146 goals in 234 appearances, Cristiano Ronaldo's journey with Portugal eventually came to a dramatic close following years of triumphs, records, and late-career friction.

The first major fissure between the talisman and the national team emerged during the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. After starting the group stage matches as captain with mixed performances, Ronaldo visibly struggled to hide his disappointment when relegated to the substitutes' bench for the round-of-16 clash against Switzerland. The Seleção thrived in his absence, cruising to a 6-1 victory behind a Gonçalo Ramos hat-trick that seemed to vindicate manager Fernando Santos. Ronaldo was introduced for the final 40 minutes of the quarter-final against Morocco, but he could not prevent a heartbreaking 1-0 elimination.

Portugal had previously lifted the inaugural UEFA Nations League trophy in 2019, and few anticipated Ronaldo would still be anchoring the squad toward another title six years later. Yet the veteran forward delivered, scoring eight goals in nine fixtures. He netted the decisive goal in a 2-1 semi-final win over Germany before scoring a crucial equalizer in the final against Spain, paving the way for a penalty shootout triumph (2-2, 5-3 on penalties) and adding yet another piece of silverware to his legacy.

His international career, however, concluded on a bitter note. During a 2-1 Nations League victory against Norway in late September, the Al-Nassr striker was left unused on the bench for the entire match. Taking manager Jorge Jesus' decision as a personal slight, Ronaldo sparked a confrontation and abruptly walked out of the training camp amid public fallout. Despite later issuing an apology, the forward announced his retirement from international football just one month later.