Cristiano Ronaldo announced his retirement from international football on Thursday, ending a 23-year Portugal career that produced more matches and goals than any man has managed.

Ronaldo announced the decision in a five-minute video, saying, “The day has come to hand back the number seven shirt.”  

“It was not an easy decision, the pride of having worn it will be mine forever,” he added.

The 41-year-old earned 234 caps, scored 146 goals, and won Euro 2016 with two Nations League titles.

Ronaldo’s exit comes less than a month after his great rival Lionel Messi played his last game for Argentina.

Cristiano Football is about people,” he said. (Sky Sports)

But the Portuguese legend’s farewell lacks the polish of Messi’s, and the cause is a feud with coach Jorge Jesus.

Ronaldo walked out of the national team in the last international window after a row with Jesus over playing time, and the federation suspended him for 30 days.

Days later, Ronaldo told his side in a long social media post that Jesus proposed a plan at the national team’s training base under which he would play the first and last matches.

After Portugal’s World Cup exit to Spain in July, Ronaldo wrote a farewell letter, but Proença talked him out of sending it on the flight home.

Also, Ronaldo has fallen out with several Portuguese coaches over his career.

The record book sets Ronaldo apart, playing at six World Cups and becoming the first player to score at all six.

The former Portuguese football captain is 41 and stays at Al Nassr, so this decision ends only his national-team career.

Messi’s ending showed what Ronaldo’s lacked as the Argentinian signed off on October 6 with a goal in a 3-0 win over Benin.

In 208 games, Messi scored 126 goals across 21 years, with two Copa América titles and a World Cup.

Only Ronaldo has played more games or scored more goals in men’s international football.

Messi lifted the World Cup, and Ronaldo won Euro 2016 and two Nations Leagues but never the World Cup.

According to reports, Portugal’s federation says it “refuses to let this goodbye be made without due tribute.”

Ronaldo said in his letter that one or more farewell matches would come in time.