Former Portugal international Luis Nani has paid tribute to Cristiano Ronaldo following the forward’s announcement of his retirement from international football, describing his former teammate as the “best of all time”.

Nani, who shared the pitch with Ronaldo for Portugal, praised the 41-year-old for inspiring generations of Portuguese footballers and making the country proud through his achievements with the national team.

In a post on his X handle on Thursday, the former Manchester United winger said he was proud to have been part of Ronaldo’s international journey, highlighting the impact the Al-Nassr forward had on Portuguese football.

Ronaldo announced his intention to retire from international football after Portugal’s November fixtures, bringing an end to a remarkable 23-year career with the national team.

The forward leaves international football with 234 appearances and 146 goals, making him the record appearance holder and highest goalscorer in men’s international football.

During his time with Portugal, Ronaldo played a central role in the country’s triumph at the 2016 European Championship and victories in the UEFA Nations League in 2019 and 2025.

His retirement announcement has continued to attract tributes from former teammates, football personalities and supporters, reflecting his influence on Portuguese football and the international game.

Guinness World Records (GWR) has celebrated Cristiano Ronaldo following his announcement of retirement from international football, bringing an end to a remarkable 23-year career with Portugal’s national team.

The global record-keeping organisation, in a post on its X handle on Thursday, recognised the 41-year-old forward’s outstanding achievements, noting that he was retiring as the most-capped player and highest goalscorer in men’s international football.

According to Guinness World Records, Ronaldo leaves international football with 234 appearances and 146 goals, both world records in the men’s game.

“Cristiano Ronaldo officially retires from international football. He retires with the most caps in international football (234) and the most goals in international football (146),” the organisation stated.

Ronaldo announced his decision in a video shared on social media on Thursday, revealing that he was ready to hand over Portugal’s iconic number seven shirt to the next generation.

Addressing the Portuguese people, the former Manchester United and Real Madrid forward described the decision as emotional, reflecting on the privilege and responsibility of representing his country for more than two decades.

“To the Portuguese people, the day has come for me to hand back the number 7 shirt of our national team.

“I never felt it belonged to me alone, but for 23 years I had the privilege and responsibility of wearing it, defending it and carrying it with me into stadiums all around the world.

“Today, the time has come to pass it on to the future. It was not an easy decision, because some decisions are not made with the mind alone. They are also made with the heart,” he said.

Ronaldo made his international debut in August 2003 and gradually established himself as one of the most influential players in Portugal’s football history.

He captained the national team to its first major international trophy at the 2016 European Championship, before helping the country secure the UEFA Nations League title in 2019 and 2025.

His retirement announcement followed weeks of uncertainty surrounding his international future after reports of disagreements with Portugal coach Jorge Jesus.

The Al-Nassr striker reportedly left the national team camp in September after being excluded from the starting line-up, fuelling speculation about a possible disagreement with the coach and potential disciplinary action.

However, in an October statement, Ronaldo dismissed suggestions that he was retiring at the time, insisting that he remained available for national team selection as long as he was physically fit.

His latest announcement brings the uncertainty surrounding his international future to an end.
Ronaldo’s final international appearance came in Portugal’s 1-0 Nations League victory over Wales on September 24.

He leaves behind an extraordinary international legacy, having scored 146 goals in 234 appearances, setting records that underline his remarkable consistency and longevity at the highest level of international football.SEO package

Nigeria’s U-17 women’s national team, the Flamingos, have booked their place in the final of the 2026 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup after securing an impressive 3-1 victory over Brazil in their semi-final encounter.

The Nigerian girls recorded the historic victory on Wednesday at the Mohammed VI Football Complex in Rabat, Morocco, to move within one win of claiming the tournament’s coveted trophy.

The encounter was goalless at half-time, with both teams struggling to find a breakthrough despite creating opportunities.

However, the Flamingos returned stronger after the interval and broke the deadlock in the 56th minute through Queen Joseph, who found the back of the net after receiving an assist from Oluwakemi Adegbuyi.

Nigeria doubled their advantage in the 71st minute when Awawu Bashiru finished off an attacking move to put Coach Akeem Busari’s side firmly in control of the encounter.

The victory over Venezuela marked only the second time Nigeria had reached the semi-final stage of the competition. Their previous appearance came in 2022, when they finished with a bronze medal in India.

Meanwhile, Brazil had secured their semi-final place after overcoming China 2-1 in the quarter-finals, having previously eliminated Poland in the round of 16 through a dramatic 8-7 penalty shootout following a 3-3 draw.

The Flamingos will now turn their attention to the final against Japan on Saturday, November 7, 2026, where they will have an opportunity to make history by becoming world champions at the U-17 levels.