Posted by Chinenye on Tue 29th Sep, 2026 - tori.ng
Luis Figo says Cristiano Ronaldo should be the one to decide when he wants to end his Portugal career.
(Cristiano Ronaldo. Photo Credit: Ballon d'Or)
Former Portugal footballer Luis Figo has shared his thoughts on whether Cristiano Ronaldo should retire from international football.
Pressure on Ronaldo to step away from the national team has grown since Lionel Messi recently retired.
Messi ended his Argentina career on August 31 after his country lost to Spain in the final of the 2026 FIFA World Cup and after the death of his father, Jorge.
Messi has made his exit official, but Ronaldo has shown no sign that he plans to leave Portugal.
During the current international break ahead of the UEFA Nations League games, the Portugal captain said he is ready to walk away if the coaching staff decide he is no longer the right pick for the country.
Ronaldo has said before that he wants to reach 1,000 career goals.
The 41-year-old is still 21 goals short, so he is expected to keep playing for Portugal.
Portugal coach Jorge Jesus left him on the bench in Sunday 2-1 win over Norway, and he did not come on.
After the match, Figo said the final call on Ronaldo international retirement belongs to the legend himself.
He also admitted that the coaching staff will have a big say in the matter.
The former Portugal captain said the five-time Ballon d'Or winner should not keep his place in the squad just because of his name or as a thank-you for what he has achieved in football.
Asked on a sports programme whether Ronaldo should retire the way Messi did, Figo said Ronaldo should of course decide what he wants.
He said he has great respect for him because of everything he has achieved over the years.
He explained that Ronaldo can make a personal choice, but on selection for the national team the coach must decide.
According to Figo, being a star or meaning so much to football should not automatically earn a place, and that is a heavy responsibility for the coach.
He said only Ronaldo can say what he wants for himself, which makes it hard for him to speak on it.
Ronaldo will be hoping to return to the Portugal line-up when his team face Denmark in the UEFA Nations League.
Note: the source text ends mid-sentence, so the Denmark match details are cut off.
Also verify Jorge Jesus as Portugal coach, as my last information had Roberto Martínez in the role, and confirm the Messi retirement details before publishing.