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Cristiano Ronaldo, 41, announced on Thursday, Nov. 5, in a video message that he will no longer play for Portugal. "The day has come for me to hand back the No. 7 shirt," he said, per AP. He leaves with the men's international scoring record: 146 goals in 234 appearances, a European title and six World Cups.

AP reports that his last game was a 1-0 Nations League win over Wales on Sept. 24. Coach Jorge Jesus then kept him on the bench and said he didn't plan to start him in the next match, so Ronaldo left the training camp; Jesus later said he would be welcome back. The BBC says he was sanctioned for leaving without permission (30 days, already served, and a 255-euro fine).

The Portuguese federation thanked him and plans a tribute for fans. Ronaldo keeps playing for Al-Nassr in Saudi Arabia, 15 goals short of 1,000 in his career, AP says. Lionel Messi ended his Argentina career with a farewell match last month.

Jesús de Miguel, a 30-year-old forward for Tenerife in Spain's second division, died on Tuesday, Nov. 3, a day after colliding in mid-air with Andorra goalkeeper Jesús Owono while contesting a high ball. AP reports he suffered a cardiac arrest; the BBC says Owono was sent off and the match was abandoned.

Spain's National Police opened an investigation into possible involuntary manslaughter, which AP describes as standard for a non-natural death. AP also reports questions about his treatment: medical staff reached him within 20 seconds, but it is unclear what care he got during the five minutes he lay on the pitch, reports conflict on whether CPR began on the field or in the ambulance, and it has not been established whether a defibrillator was used. Spain's emergency nurses' association said it is seeking more information.

His funeral was held Thursday in Navahermosa, with Spain coach Luis de la Fuente among the mourners, the BBC reports. Owono called these "the most difficult days of my life."

Kai Havertz's 16th-minute goal gave Arsenal a 1-0 win at Liverpool on Sunday, Nov. 1. 101 Great Goals reports Arsenal had lost their previous 13 games at Anfield and had not won there since 2012, when manager Mikel Arteta was still playing for them. The defending champions moved to the top of the table, nine points ahead of Liverpool, after Manchester City lost to Brighton on Saturday.

Declan Rice set up the goal with a low cross after Arsenal won the ball high up the pitch. Liverpool's match report says Florian Wirtz hit the crossbar with a free kick and the Reds had a string of unsuccessful penalty appeals; 101 Great Goals says Liverpool finished without a shot on target. It was Liverpool's second defeat under head coach Andoni Iraola.

Harry Kane won the men's Ballon d'Or on Monday, Oct. 26, at the London Palladium, the first Englishman to win it since Michael Owen in 2001, AP reports. Kane, 33, scored 73 goals for club and country last season, led Bayern Munich to the Bundesliga and German Cup double, and scored six times at the World Cup, where England finished third. Kylian Mbappe, Lamine Yamal, Rodri and Lionel Messi followed in the voting.

"My journey wasn't straightforward," Kane said in a message to young players. "I had to fight my way to be the very best."

Spain's Alexia Putellas won the women's award for a record-equaling third time, after winning in 2021 and 2022 and then tearing her ACL. She now plays for London City Lionesses. The ceremony was held in London for the first time to mark 70 years since the first winner, England's Stanley Matthews, in 1956.

Real Madrid beat Barcelona 2-1 at Camp Nou on Sunday, Oct. 25, with Kylian Mbappe scoring both goals, Bernama reports from Anadolu. Madrid led just before halftime when Gerard Martin's attempted clearance hit Mbappe and went in; Barcelona captain Raphinha equalized in the 61st minute. In the 87th minute, substitute Eduardo Camavinga carried the ball upfield and squared it for Mbappe to finish into an empty net.

Barcelona had been trying to set a record for consecutive wins at the start of a Spanish top-flight season, but stopped at nine, tying the mark Real Madrid set in 1968-69. Barcelona stayed top of the table.

The result put Real Madrid one ahead in the all-time Clasico record, which had been level at 106 wins each with 52 draws.

Como, coached by former Spain midfielder Cesc Fàbregas, beat Manchester United 4-1 in the Champions League on Wednesday, Oct. 21. Nico Paz scored after 118 seconds, scored again and set up another goal before Jacobo Ramón's header made it 4-0, according to the report on Yahoo Sports.

"I told my players to slow down at 4-0," Fàbregas said. Joshua Zirkzee's late goal kept United from matching its heaviest European defeat, 5-0 to Sporting in 1964. United coach Michael Carrick was seen apologizing to the traveling fans, and the report says captain Bruno Fernandes appeared to question the tactics afterward.

Switzerland captain Granit Xhaka admitted that he acquired a fake COVID-19 vaccination certificate. The Swiss federation and Xhaka agreed that he would sit out the current international camp while authorities review the matter.

Why it mattered

Xhaka is Switzerland's all-time appearance leader with 152 caps, so the admission immediately became both a sports and accountability story.

What he said

Xhaka publicly called the decision a mistake and said he is cooperating with authorities.