Cristiano Ronaldo full letter to Portuguese fans. "To the Portuguese people, today has come to return the shirt and the captain's ribbon of the national team that belongs to all of us. I never felt that it was exclusively mine, but for 23 years I had the privilege and responsibility of wearing it, protecting it and carrying it with me to stadiums all over the world. Today is the time to move it to the future. It was not an easy decision, because some decisions are not made with the head alone. They are also made with heart. I am bringing to an end a journey that began in August 2003 and changed my life forever. When I look back and think about everything I experienced with the national team, I don't just see games, goals, records or trophies. I see people. I see immigrants who for 90 minutes felt a little closer to Portugal. I see millions of Portuguese people whom I have never met in person, but who have become a part of my life. Because at the end of the day, football is much bigger than a game. Football is about people. Throughout my career in the national team, I have always tried to push beyond my limits. I wanted to win, I wanted to be the best, I wanted to make history. I always demanded of myself. I always wanted more. I always believed we could go further, and I gave everything I had for this shirt. Had perfect afternoons and nights. There were victories I will never forget. There were defeats that still hurt to remember today. I failed too. I suffered too. There were moments when I could not give the Portuguese people what they wanted so much. But I never gave up. And above all, I never stopped feeling proud to represent Portugal. During these years, I have learned some very simple things: goals come and go, trophies end up in museums, records are eventually broken, but there is something that time can never erase. The place I hold in people's hearts.