00:00For the Portuguese, the day has come to return to wearing the number 7 jersey of the national team of all of us.
00:06It never felt like it was exclusively mine.
00:09But for 23 years I had the privilege and responsibility of dressing,
00:13to defend and to wash with me for stadiums all over the world.
00:19Today is the moment to give to the future.
00:23It wasn't an easy decision, because some decisions aren't made with just your head.
00:28They also take with their hearts.
00:30I am finishing a camisole that began in August 2003 and changed my life forever.
00:36When I look back and think about everything I experienced with the national team,
00:39I hardly see any games, goals, records or trophies.
00:43I see people.
00:45I see immigrants who for 90 minutes felt Portugal a little closer.
00:50I see millions of Portuguese people whom I have never met personally,
00:53but they were part of my life.
00:55Because, in the end, football is much bigger than a game.
01:00Football is about the people.
01:03Throughout my career with the national team, I tried to push myself to the limit.
01:07I wanted to win, I wanted to be the best, I wanted to make history.
01:10I was always demanding of myself.
01:13I always wanted more.
01:14I always believed we could go further.
01:16And I gave up everything I had for this shirt.
01:19You have perfect evenings and nights.
01:21I have had victories that I will never forget.
01:23Houve defeats that I still find hard to remember today.
01:27Also falhei.
01:28I suffered too.
01:29There were also times when I was unable to give the Portuguese what they so desperately wanted.
01:33But I never gave up.
01:36And, above all, I never stopped feeling proud to represent Portugal.
01:39I learned some very simple things during these years.
01:42The sweets pass.
01:44The tañas are in museums.
01:46Records eventually get broken.
01:48But there is something that time can never extinguish.
01:51The place we occupy in people's hearts.
01:54If you were ever happy.
01:55If ever a golo meu vos fez abrazar alguien.
01:59To forget a concern or feel pride in our country.
02:02Then it was all worth it.
02:04Because being Portuguese is also about that.
02:07We suffered together.
02:08We rise together.
02:11We are accredited again.
02:13Portugal will always need young people who dream.
02:15Of players who never give up.
02:18De nuevas gerações que acreditam que es posible llegar donde nadie llegado.
02:22Because a country that continues to create new heroes is a country that never ceases to believe in itself.
02:27To my teammates I want to say a special word.
02:31Thank you for every run.
02:33For every hug.
02:34For every argument.
02:36For every silence before entering the field.
02:38For every victory we celebrate together and for every defeat that made us stronger.
02:43Tive el privilegio de ser vosso capitán.
02:46But never captain walk alone.
02:48And you are part of my story.
02:51To all the coaches, managers, doctors, physiotherapists, wardrobe staff, officials and so many people who work with me throughout
02:58these years.
02:59Thank you very much.
03:01Many of you will never appear in the photographs.
03:03But without you, none of these photographs would have been possible.
03:07To my family, thank you for sharing this dream with me.
03:13Thank you for understanding the absences, sacrifices, and the moments when the team had to occupy a space that also
03:18you belonged.
03:20If I've lasted so long, it's because we've always been hand in hand.
03:23And to the Portuguese.
03:25And to all the Portuguese scattered around the world, I want to say one last thing.
03:29There is an image that you will always carry with you.
03:32A moment when the national anthem begins.
03:35When I turn around, I see my classmates, I see the benches, I see the children, mine, my parents and grandparents, I see the
03:42Portuguese who had seen from so long ago barely enough to be there.
03:45And during those minutes, we ceased to be different.
03:49There are no clubs, no cores, no classes, no professions, no opinions.
03:56There is barely a pan.
03:58Portugal.
04:01It is that feeling that I will carry with me for the rest of my life.
04:04Today I finish my walk on the field with the national team.
04:08I stood with my head held high, proud of the path I had taken, and with the awareness that I had given everything.
04:12that I had for Portugal.
04:14But I will never stop being one of you.
04:18Continuarei a sofrer, a vibrar y a celebrar cada victoria de Portugal con un sí.
04:23I dedicated my life to working to be the best player in the world.
04:25Today I realize that my greatest victory was having the right to represent the best country in the world.
04:31Thank you for these 23 years.
04:34Thank you for trusting me.
04:36Thank you for allowing me to live a dream that began when I was just a child.
04:40In Madeira, running after a ball.
04:43Camisole 7 fica.
04:45The pride of owning a dress will be mine forever.
04:49Portugal will always be in my heart.
04:51Goodbye forever.
04:54Christian Ronaldo.
