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Cristiano Ronaldo retires: 5 unforgettable moments that defined his legendary Portugal career
From helping Portugal win Euro 2016 to scoring a hat-trick against Spain at the 2018 World Cup, Cristiano Ronaldo delivered defining moments for his country.
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Cristiano Ronaldo has officially announced his retirement from football at the age of 41, as he shared an emotional message bidding farewell on his social media accounts. This draws a curtain on a blockbuster 23-year career with Portugal, which can be regarded as one of the greatest runs by a footballer for his country.
He walks away as the player with the most international goals (146) and the most men's international appearances (234) in history.
While there are countless moments to remember in his storied career for Portugal, here are five of the most unforgettable memories from his international career.
Winning Euro 2016
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Ronaldo was the centrepiece for Portugal as they won their first-ever major trophy- the Euro 2016. He scored 3 and assisted 3 goals in the tournament, thus being directly involved in 6 of the 9 goals scored by Portugal.
In the final, he helped not on the pitch, but off it. Stretchered off just 25 minutes into the final against France due to a knee injury; his tournament seemed over. Instead, he transformed into an animated assistant manager on the touchline. He was limping, shouting instructions, and kicking every imaginary ball until Eder’s extra-time winner secured a historic 1-0 victory.
The leading international goalscorer (2021)
If you needed an example of Cristiano Ronaldo's sheer willpower, it was the 2021 FIFA World Cup qualifier against the Republic of Ireland.
Portugal were trailing late, and Ronaldo's chance to break UAE legend Ali Daei’s record of 109 international goals was slipping away. However, Ronaldo responded by launching himself into the air to score two trademark, towering headers in the 89th and 96th minutes. With these goals, he not only secured an important comeback win for his country, but also managed to become the all-time leading international goalscorer in history.
Sealing a spot in the FIFA World Cup 2014 (2013)
Portugal's path to the FIFA World Cup 2014 came down to a tense, two-legged playoff against Sweden, and this contest was billed entirely as a face-off between Cristiano Ronaldo and Zlatan Ibrahimovic. Ronaldo turned it into a one-man show.
He scored all four of Portugal's goals across the tie, sealing the deal in Stockholm with a blistering second-half hat-trick that single-handedly dragged his country to the tournament.
ALSO READ: Cristiano Ronaldo: The records he leaves behind in Portugal colours
The World Cup hat-trick vs Spain (2018)
Cristiano Ronaldo has not had a great showing in the FIFA World Cup. However, the most memorable among his record 10 international hat-tricks came in the 2018 edition of the biggest football tournament.
Facing a dominant Spanish side in the group stage of the 2018 FIFA World Cup, Ronaldo single-handedly saved the day and snatched a 3-3 draw. He had already scored two goals prior, but his side were trailing 2-3 in the 88th minute.
Ronaldo had to make a free-kick opportunity count. He rolled up his shorts, took his famous stance, and whipped a flawless free-kick over the wall, leaving David de Gea glued to the turf to seal his 51st career hat-trick and one of the most thrilling comeback results for Portugal in history.
Lifting the Nations League at home (2019)
Winning a trophy for your country is one thing; doing it in front of a home crowd is another. During the inaugural UEFA Nations League tournament hosted by Portugal, Ronaldo lit up the semi-final against Switzerland with a stunning hat-trick to send his team through to the final.
Days later, he captained the side to a victory over the Netherlands in the final, lifting his second major international trophy in front of a sea of red and green in Porto.
