Ronaldo salutes Messi with heartfelt tribute after Argentina's farewell night in Buenos Aires

Cristiano Ronaldo set aside one of sport’s greatest rivalries to pay a public tribute to Lionel Messi after the Argentine legend retired from international football following a 208th and final cap against Benin in Buenos Aires on Wednesday.

Messi scored a penalty — his 126th goal for Argentina — in an emotionally charged farewell at the Estadio Monumental, where a post-match drone show replayed the defining moments of his international career. He then addressed his team-mates in a tear-filled speech, calling his time with the national side “the most wonderful thing that can happen.”

Responding on Instagram beneath Messi’s own retirement statement, Ronaldo wrote: “Leo, so many years defending your country and a history that will last forever. All my respect for what you have achieved with Argentina. A hug.” The message from the 41-year-old Portuguese forward underlined the mutual regard that has quietly existed beneath years of fierce on-pitch competition.

Messi’s international legacy is formidable. He was the central figure in Argentina’s 2022 World Cup triumph in Qatar — the country’s first world title since 1986 — and helped Lionel Scaloni’s side reach the Copa America 2024 final this summer, where they were beaten by Spain.

In his own farewell post, Messi reflected on a career defined by both joy and hardship. “Yesterday was my last game and I already miss wearing blue and white,” he wrote. “It was an incredible road, filled with joys and also some sorrows, but I’m clear that it was worth every step I took.” He paid tribute to his family, team-mates, coaching staff, and offered a mention of Diego Maradona, saying he believed the late icon “helped us from heaven, in every step we took.”

Despite closing the international chapter, Messi will continue playing club football. His contract with Inter Miami runs until the end of the 2028 season. He has also begun building a post-playing career in club ownership, having acquired Spanish sides UE Cornella and second-division CD Eldense.