Sergio Ramos Reacts to Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal Retirement

Former Spain international Sergio Ramos has reacted to Cristiano Ronaldo’s decision to retire from international football, sending a warm message to his former Real Madrid teammate.

Ronaldo announced his retirement from the Portugal national team on Thursday, bringing an end to a 23-year international career.

Ramos, who shared the Real Madrid dressing room with the Portuguese forward for nine seasons, responded to his announcement in the comments section of Ronaldo’s Instagram post.

The former defender expressed surprise at the decision before praising the 40-year-old's achievements and wishing him well in the next chapter of his life.

“Oh, really...?? Ahahahah. What a legend; time to enjoy other things in life,” Ramos wrote.

The comment was subsequently shared on X by the @MadridXtra account.

Ramos and Ronaldo enjoyed considerable success together at Real Madrid, winning four UEFA Champions League titles during their time at the Spanish club.

Ronaldo's international retirement has attracted tributes from former teammates, football clubs and officials, with many recognising his contribution to Portuguese football.

The forward leaves the national team as men's international football's all-time leading scorer, having recorded 146 goals in 234 appearances for Portugal.

He also captained the country to its first major international trophy at the 2016 European Championship and helped it win the UEFA Nations League in 2019 and 2025.

Despite ending his international career, Ronaldo is expected to continue playing at club level for Saudi Arabian side Al-Nassr.

The former defender also placed Barcelona and Real Madrid ahead of Arsenal and Manchester United in terms of global football stature, while acknowledging the progress Arsenal had made under manager Mikel Arteta.

He described the English club as being in a rebuilding phase, working to establish a new chapter in its history.

Saliba, 25, joined Arsenal from Saint-Etienne in 2019 and has developed into a key figure in the club's defence. He signed a contract extension in 2025 that keeps him at the Emirates Stadium until 2030.

The defender has been recovering from a back injury that has kept him out of action this season. However, Arteta recently confirmed that he had made good progress and was approaching a return to competitive football.

Saliba was named among the substitutes for Arsenal's 2-1 Champions League victory over Slavia Prague on Wednesday, although he did not feature in the match.