Cristiano Ronaldo has retired from international football, ending a Portugal career that produced 146 goals in 234 appearances — both untouchable marks at the top of the men's international record books.

The announcement came Thursday in a statement from the 41-year-old, confirming he will hand back the famous number seven for good. He leaves as international football's all-time leading scorer and the face of Portugal's national team for more than two decades.

The ending was not clean. Ronaldo's international career closed in acrimony after he walked out on the squad last month, and his retirement lands against that backdrop rather than a ceremonial farewell match. The statement itself, addressed to the Portuguese people, drew a line under the saga.

BBC Sport and others marked the occasion by revisiting his most iconic moments in the red of Portugal — a catalogue spanning European Championship glory and a goalscoring record that may never be approached, let alone beaten. Whatever the circumstances of the exit, the body of work stands alone.