Cristiano Ronaldo Shares Heartfelt Tribute as Lionel Messi Concludes Historic International Career

Cristiano Ronaldo paid tribute to his great rival, Lionel Messi, after the Argentine great played his final international match this week. Messi brought the curtain down on a 21-year international career with a goal and two assists as Argentina beat Benin in Buenos Aires in an international friendly on Tuesday.

It was his 208th and final game for La Albiceleste, with more than 85,000 fans packed into the Monumental stadium to give their hero a fitting send-off. Commenting on one of Messi's Instagram posts, Ronaldo messaged: “Leo, so many years representing your country and a story that will remain forever. All my respect for what you achieved with Argentina. A hug.” The comment has over six million likes.

The debate over who is the greatest player between the two has been a near-constant among supporters and commentators for the past two decades, but Ronaldo's message shows the level of respect he has for his great rival. Between them, they share 13 Ballon d'Ors, the award for the world's best player each year, with Messi having eight and Ronaldo five.

Messi's goal from the penalty spot against Benin was his 126th in the famous sky-blue-and-white colours of the national team. He is both Argentina's record scorer and appearance maker, with his crowning glory coming in 2022 when he led Argentina to a third World Cup triumph, alongside Copa America victories in 2021 and 2024.

While Messi's international bow concluded with appropriate pageantry, Ronaldo's international future with Portugal faced turbulence. The 41-year-old released a statement this week confirming he was not retiring from international football and remained available for selection after leaving Portugal's training camp ahead of their match against Denmark.

The Al Nassr striker accused Portugal manager Jorge Jesus of an “absolute breach of trust” following a row over playing time during the match against Norway. Despite the friction, Ronaldo holds the record for most caps (234) and most goals (146) in international football.