A looming end and a Saudi achievement: how will Ronaldo's international retirement affect his journey with Al-Nassr?

A surprise decision from "the Don"

Twenty-three years of service to his country, all of it glittering, and now Cristiano Ronaldo has brought the curtain down on a historic international career by announcing his retirement from the Portugal national team.

The decision won't just be felt in Portugal. His current club, Al-Nassr of Saudi Arabia, could feel the effects too.

Ronaldo's international retirement will pay off physically for Al-Nassr. Freed from national duty, he can bank far longer spells of rest.

The Portuguese star won't have to train or play through the current November international break, nor the next one in March.

Any deal between Ronaldo and Portugal boss Jorge Jesus to limit his minutes would still have left the travel and the training, and both drain a player of 41.

He can now unwind and enjoy a holiday with his family instead. That downtime should let him hit his best form once he's back in an Al-Nassr shirt.

Some may fear how Cristiano Ronaldo's international retirement will affect his form at Al-Nassr, particularly on a psychological level, given the negative circumstances surrounding the decision.

Ronaldo, though, has never been one to dwell on his problems for long. He answers quickly, through his performances and his goals.

Look no further than the perfect hat-trick he fired against Al-Khaleej at the end of last month. Right foot, left foot, header, all within 15 minutes.

Those goals arrived in the same month the famous crisis blew up for "the Don" with the Portugal national team, alongside his coach Jorge Jesus. That row was the first step on the road to international retirement.

None of it threw him. Ronaldo scored his seventh career hat-trick with Al-Nassr to reach his 985th goal, leaving him just 15 short of the 1,000th of his career.

Ronaldo's decision to retire from international football points to one thing: the end of his career is near, most likely once the current season is done.

He may already have made that call. The announcement, though, will only come after he reaches 1,000 goals, the greatest achievement the "Madeira Rocket" dreams of before he hangs up his boots.

One thing could have delayed it all: the Portugal national team. Had Ronaldo insisted on carrying on until Euro 2028, roughly a year and a half away, the picture would look very different.

In that scenario, the Portuguese star would have seen out next season with Al-Nassr as normal, then bowed out at the European Championship in the summer of the year after next.

Ending the international journey leaves Ronaldo with just one target for the rest of his footballing career: that 1,000th goal. Reach it, and he will most likely announce his definitive retirement.

Plenty have wondered lately when Ronaldo might reach the 1,000-goal mark of his career, and whether it would arrive with Al-Nassr or the Portugal national team.

The Portugal chapter is closed. Barring something new in the coming period, Al-Nassr will have the honour of carrying Ronaldo to goal number 1,000.

It will mark the first time Ronaldo reaches a century milestone with Al-Nassr. He hit his 700th and 800th with Manchester United, and his 900th with Portugal.