Portugal legend Cristiano Ronaldo has paid tribute to Lionel Messi following the Argentine captain’s final appearance for the national team. Messi ended his international career on Tuesday night after helping Argentina secure a 3-0 friendly victory over Benin at the Estadio Monumental in Buenos Aires. The 39-year-old scored one of Argentina’s goals and provided two assists as he bowed out after more than two decades of representing his country.
Messi, regarded as one of football’s greatest-ever players, described the occasion as “the saddest day of my career” as he brought an emotional chapter of his career to a close. Ronaldo, who shared one of football’s most celebrated rivalries with Messi for more than 15 years, reacted to the Argentine’s farewell post on Instagram on Wednesday.
View this post on Instagram A post shared by Leo Messi (@leomessi) The Al-Nassr forward wrote: “Leo, so many years defending your country and a story that will live on forever. You have all my respect for everything you’ve achieved with Argentina.
A hug.” The message highlights the respect that has developed between the two superstars despite their long-running rivalry, which defined an era of world football during their respective spells at Real Madrid and Barcelona. Messi had announced his decision to retire from international football in late August, following Argentina’s defeat to Spain in the 2026 World Cup final.
The decision came after a physically and emotionally demanding tournament, which was also overshadowed by the illness and subsequent death of his father, Jorge Messi. Messi leaves international football as Argentina’s record appearance holder, having made 208 appearances and scored 126 goals for the national team. He also guided Argentina to the 2022 World Cup title and helped the country secure Copa América triumphs during his international career. Ronaldo and Messi have continued to acknowledge