Cristiano Ronaldo’s tribute to Messi has brought a moment of respect to one of football’s greatest rivalries after Lionel Messi ended his international career with Argentina.
For nearly two decades, Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi competed for league titles, Champions League trophies, Ballon d’Or awards and goalscoring records. Their performances were constantly compared, creating one of the defining sporting rivalries of the modern era.
Now, with Messi’s international career over, Ronaldo has put the rivalry aside to recognise what his long-time rival achieved.
The Portugal captain responded to Messi’s farewell message on Instagram, praising his years of service to Argentina and the legacy he has created in international football.
It was a short message, but its meaning was significant.
Ronaldo Tribute to Messi After Argentina Farewell
Ronaldo posted his tribute in response to Messi’s emotional Instagram message following his final appearance for Argentina.
The Portuguese forward congratulated Messi on his long international career, acknowledged the importance of his achievements and expressed his respect for what the Argentine had accomplished.
He finished his message by sending Messi an embrace.
The response quickly attracted attention because the two players had spent so many years being compared with each other.
Supporters argued over their achievements, statistics and playing styles. Every major performance from one player was often measured against the other.
Yet Ronaldo’s response to Messi’s farewell was not about winning the old debate.
It was about respect.
Messi’s Final Argentina Match Was a Farewell to Remember
Messi’s final international appearance came against Benin at the Monumental Stadium in Buenos Aires on 6 October 2026.
More than 85,000 supporters gathered to watch the Argentina captain wear his country’s colours for the final time.
The occasion was emotional before the match even began.
Argentina supporters had spent years celebrating Messi’s goals, mourning his defeats and sharing in his greatest achievements. This time, they gathered simply to thank him for everything he had given the national team.
Messi responded with one final performance.
Argentina won 3–0, with the 39-year-old scoring once and providing two assists.
He influenced the match in familiar fashion through his passing, movement and ability to create decisive moments.
The game marked the end of a 21-year senior international career that began in 2005.
It also gave Messi a farewell few footballers ever experience.
Messi’s Emotional Goodbye to Argentina
Following the match, Messi published a farewell message on Instagram reflecting on his years with the Argentina national team.
He admitted that he already missed wearing Argentina’s shirt while also believing that retirement was the right decision.
His message reflected on the happiness, disappointments and sacrifices that shaped his international career.
Messi also thanked his family, teammates, coaches and supporters who had accompanied him throughout his journey with Argentina.
He remembered Diego Maradona and the enormous influence Maradona had on Argentine football.
It was beneath this farewell message that Ronaldo offered his congratulations.
That detail made the response especially meaningful.
Ronaldo was not reacting to another trophy ceremony or individual award. He was acknowledging the end of an important chapter in another footballer’s career.
Few players could understand the pressure of that journey better than Ronaldo.
Ronaldo and Messi Rivalry Defined Modern Football
It is difficult to describe European football between 2008 and 2018 without mentioning Ronaldo and Messi.
For much of that period, they represented the two biggest clubs in Spanish football.
Messi was the central figure at Barcelona.
Ronaldo became Real Madrid’s outstanding goalscorer.
Their meetings in El Clásico became global events. Every goal carried extra significance, while every trophy added another chapter to the debate over who was the better player.
Messi was admired for his close control, passing, balance and creativity.
Ronaldo was celebrated for his speed, movement, athleticism, heading ability and extraordinary goalscoring.
Their approaches were different, but their results were extraordinary.
Both players pushed each other towards standards that had previously appeared almost impossible to maintain.
They sustained those standards for years.
Barcelona vs Real Madrid Rivalry at Its Peak
The rivalry reached another level when Messi and Ronaldo faced each other in Spain’s biggest fixture.
Barcelona and Real Madrid were already fierce rivals. The presence of two of the greatest players of their generation gave the contest an additional dimension.
Messi could change a match with a dribble, a pass or a moment of individual brilliance.
Ronaldo could decide a game with a powerful finish, a header or a sudden run into the penalty area.
Their performances were analysed in extraordinary detail.
The questions rarely produced agreement.
They did, however, keep both players at the centre of football’s global conversation.
Even supporters who preferred one player often found themselves watching the other.
That was part of what made the rivalry so special.
Messi and Ronaldo Have 13 Ballon d’Or Awards Between Them
The Ballon d’Or provides one measure of the dominance shared by Messi and Ronaldo.
Messi has won the award eight times.
Ronaldo has won it five times.
Together, they collected 13 Ballon d’Or awards and dominated discussions about the world’s best player for more than a decade.
Their individual honours reflected a period when extraordinary performances became almost routine.
For most forwards, scoring 30 league goals represented an outstanding achievement.
For Messi and Ronaldo, even higher totals became familiar.
Their consistency changed expectations.
Performances that could have defined another player’s career sometimes appeared almost ordinary when produced by either Messi or Ronaldo.
Only with the passing of time has the scale of their consistency become easier to appreciate.
Were Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi Ever Enemies?
The intensity of their rivalry created a common assumption that the two players must have disliked each other.
There has never been a strong reason to treat that assumption as fact.
Messi and Ronaldo represented opposing clubs and competed for the same major honours, but sporting competition is not the same as personal hostility.
Both players have acknowledged each other’s achievements over the years.
They have shared award ceremonies, appeared together at football events and spoken publicly about the extraordinary period in which their careers overlapped.
Ronaldo’s latest tribute fits that history.
The rivalry was real.
The idea that it had to become a personal feud was largely created by the debate surrounding them.
Messi’s International Career Ends With a World Cup
For much of Messi’s international career, his biggest disappointment came while representing Argentina.
At Barcelona, he had already won almost everything.
With Argentina, major success took longer.
Argentina lost the 2014 World Cup final to Germany.
The team then suffered Copa América final defeats against Chile in 2015 and 2016.
After the second defeat, Messi briefly announced his international retirement.
He later returned.
That decision proved decisive.
Argentina won the Copa América in 2021, ending Messi’s long wait for a major senior international trophy.
In 2022, he captained Argentina to World Cup glory in Qatar after an unforgettable final against France.
Argentina then won another Copa América title in 2024.
By the end of his international career, the old questions about Messi’s ability to deliver for Argentina had disappeared.
He was no longer a great player searching for international recognition.
He was a World Cup-winning captain.
Lionel Messi’s Argentina Career in Numbers
Messi retired as Argentina’s record appearance-maker and leading goalscorer.
His senior international career lasted more than two decades and included six World Cup appearances.
His principal achievements included:
- 208 senior international appearances
- 126 goals for Argentina
- 2022 FIFA World Cup winner
- 2021 and 2024 Copa América winner
- 2022 Finalissima winner
- Six World Cup appearances
- Argentina’s all-time leading goalscorer
- Argentina’s most-capped player
The numbers are impressive on their own.
Their greater significance comes from the length of time Messi remained influential for Argentina.
He represented the country as a teenager and retired at 39 after remaining an important part of the team through multiple generations of players and coaches.
That longevity is another reason the Ronaldo tribute to Messi carries so much meaning.
Ronaldo knows what it takes to maintain that level of performance for so many years.
Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal Career Remains Unfinished
While Messi has retired from international football, Ronaldo has not formally ended his Portugal career.
At 41, he remains Portugal’s record goalscorer and most-capped player.
He has helped Portugal win the European Championship and the UEFA Nations League, establishing a legacy that transformed the national team’s standing in European football.
However, his immediate future with Portugal has become more complicated.
Ronaldo recently left Portugal’s training camp following a disagreement with head coach Jorge Jesus.
The dispute involved his playing time and the circumstances surrounding his absence from subsequent matches.
Ronaldo later issued a statement explaining his position, apologising for leaving the camp and accepting that his actions could have consequences.
He also made clear that he remained available to represent Portugal.
Jesus has left the door open for Ronaldo’s return.
Whether the disagreement can be resolved remains to be seen.
Two Legends, Two Very Different International Farewells
The contrast between Messi and Ronaldo’s current situations is striking.
Messi left Argentina in front of an enormous home crowd, scoring a goal and providing two assists during an emotional farewell.
Ronaldo, meanwhile, is attempting to resolve a dispute with Portugal’s national-team management.
One has completed his international journey.
The other is still deciding how the final chapter will unfold.
Former England striker Gary Lineker has suggested that Ronaldo deserves a farewell worthy of his achievements, similar to the celebration Messi received in Buenos Aires.
That is a reasonable sentiment.
Ronaldo’s contribution to Portugal should ultimately be judged across his entire international career rather than through one disagreement.
The same principle applies to Messi.
Great careers are built over years, not reduced to one difficult moment.
Will Cristiano Ronaldo Retire From International Football?
Ronaldo has not announced his international retirement.
Despite the recent controversy, he has indicated that he wants to remain available for Portugal.
His return will depend on the resolution of the current situation and future selection decisions.
Portugal have important fixtures ahead, and the relationship between Ronaldo, the coach and the federation will continue to attract attention.
For now, it would be premature to describe his international career as finished.
That uncertainty makes his message to Messi even more interesting.
Ronaldo has congratulated a great rival on completing his international journey while his own future with Portugal remains unsettled.
Messi and Ronaldo Changed Football Together
Arguments about the greatest footballer of all time rarely produce universal agreement.
Messi supporters point to his World Cup victory, creativity, passing ability and eight Ballon d’Or awards.
Ronaldo supporters point to his extraordinary goalscoring record, success in different leagues, Champions League achievements and international scoring records.
Both arguments contain substantial evidence.
Neither requires the achievements of the other player to be diminished.
What is difficult to dispute is that Messi and Ronaldo helped define the football era in which they played.
Their rivalry attracted enormous audiences.
Their names will remain connected long after both careers have ended.
The Messi vs Ronaldo Debate Will Continue
Messi’s retirement from international football does not settle the debate over which player was greater.
Nor should it.
Football history has always encouraged comparisons between exceptional players from different teams and eras.
Pelé and Maradona were compared for decades.
Messi and Ronaldo will be discussed in much the same way.
Some supporters will favour Messi’s technique and vision.
Others will prefer Ronaldo’s goalscoring and athleticism.
The argument will continue because both players have produced enough extraordinary moments for supporters to defend their choices.
Ronaldo’s tribute provides an important reminder that admiration for one player does not require disrespect towards another.
The two players themselves appear capable of understanding that distinction.
Why Ronaldo’s Tribute to Messi Matters
There was nothing complicated about Ronaldo’s message.
Its significance comes from the person who delivered it.
Ronaldo was not an observer who watched Messi’s career from a distance.
Few people can understand Messi’s career from quite the same perspective.
That is why a brief public tribute attracted so much attention.
It came from the player who spent so many years standing alongside Messi at the summit of world football.
What Comes Next for Lionel Messi?
Messi’s retirement applies to international football and does not automatically mean the end of his club career.
He remains associated with Inter Miami in Major League Soccer.
Stepping away from Argentina will allow Messi to concentrate on the next stage of his professional career without the demands of international tournaments and national-team duty.
Argentina, meanwhile, must begin a new era.
For more than 20 years, Messi was part of the country’s football identity.
The next generation will have to establish its own leaders and style.
Replacing Messi directly is impossible.
Building another successful Argentina team is not.
The foundations created by the World Cup-winning generation provide a strong starting point.
Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi: Frequently Asked Questions
Did Cristiano Ronaldo congratulate Lionel Messi on his retirement?
Yes. Ronaldo responded publicly to Messi’s Instagram farewell message, praising his achievements with Argentina and expressing respect for his long international career.
What did Ronaldo say to Messi?
Ronaldo acknowledged Messi’s many years representing Argentina, recognised his achievements and expressed admiration for what he had accomplished.
Where did Ronaldo post his tribute to Messi?
Ronaldo posted the message as a comment on Messi’s Instagram farewell statement.
When did Lionel Messi retire from international football?
Messi played his final match for Argentina on 6 October 2026 against Benin in Buenos Aires.
What was Lionel Messi’s final Argentina match?
Messi’s final international appearance was Argentina’s 3–0 friendly victory over Benin at the Monumental Stadium.
Did Messi score in his final Argentina match?
Yes. Messi scored once and provided two assists in Argentina’s 3–0 victory.
How many goals did Messi score for Argentina?
Messi finished his senior international career with 126 goals in 208 appearances.
How many World Cups did Messi win?
Messi won one FIFA World Cup, captaining Argentina to the title in Qatar in 2022.
How many Ballon d’Or awards have Messi and Ronaldo won?
Messi has won eight Ballon d’Or awards, while Ronaldo has won five.
Are Messi and Ronaldo friends?
Both players have publicly shown respect for one another. Their personal relationship should not be assumed to be either a close friendship or a feud simply because they were fierce sporting rivals.
Has Cristiano Ronaldo retired from Portugal?
No. Ronaldo has not formally retired from international football and has indicated that he remains available to represent Portugal.
Why did Cristiano Ronaldo leave Portugal’s training camp?
Ronaldo left following a disagreement with coach Jorge Jesus concerning playing time and communication. Ronaldo has explained his position publicly, while the situation remains subject to further developments.
Will Messi and Ronaldo play against each other again?
Messi’s retirement from international football rules out future Argentina appearances against Ronaldo’s Portugal. A future club or exhibition meeting would depend on their respective schedules and careers.
Who is better, Messi or Ronaldo?
There is no universally accepted answer. Messi and Ronaldo have different playing styles and exceptional records. Messi has won the World Cup and eight Ballon d’Or awards, while Ronaldo has won five Ballon d’Or awards and holds numerous international goalscoring records.
A Rivalry Remembered for Greatness, Not Bitterness
Lionel Messi’s international career is over.
Cristiano Ronaldo’s continues, at least for now.
The two players who spent so many years competing for football’s greatest prizes are approaching the final stages of their careers in very different circumstances.
But Ronaldo’s tribute to Messi following his Argentina farewell is a fitting moment in their shared history.
For years, supporters were encouraged to choose between them.
Messi or Ronaldo.
Barcelona or Real Madrid.
Argentina or Portugal.
The debate became one of football’s greatest attractions.
Yet time has made something else increasingly clear.
Those who watched both players during their prime were fortunate.
They witnessed two exceptional footballers produce extraordinary performances against the strongest opponents in the world, season after season.
Messi has now said goodbye to Argentina.
Ronaldo has acknowledged his achievement.
For one moment, the rivalry that dominated a generation gave way to something simpler:
respect between two of the greatest players football has ever seen.
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