Cristiano Ronaldo Honors Lionel Messi's Argentina Retirement with Touching Message: 'All My Respect'
Ronaldo praised Messi after the Argentina captain ended a 21-year international career with 126 goals and a World Cup title.
- On Wednesday, Portuguese captain Cristiano Ronaldo publicly praised Lionel Messi following the Argentine's emotional international retirement after playing his final match against Benin on Tuesday.
- For more than 10 years, Ronaldo and Messi defined one of soccer's greatest rivalries, pushing each other to achieve more than 85 titles combined throughout their illustrious careers.
- Eight minutes after Messi published his retirement announcement on Instagram, Ronaldo commented: "All my respect for what you have achieved with Argentina." The post surpassed three million likes in barely half an hour.
- Ronaldo issued this tribute despite personal conflict with Portugal coach Jorge Jesus, whom he allegedly accused of failing to honor agreements regarding his Nations League minutes.
- Messi captained Argentina to the 2022 World Cup title and Copa America triumphs in 2021 and 2024, while also winning the 2022 Finalissima, cementing his legendary international legacy.
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219 Articles
Lionel Messi has ended his international career. He is then praised by rival Cristiano Ronaldo.
Cristiano Ronaldo bids goodbye to Lionel Messi with ‘utmost respect’ after Argentine superstar's farewell against Benin
Lionel Messi finally hung up his boots in international football after a record-extending 208th appearance and a record-extending 126th goal in Argentina colours.
Cristiano Ronaldo Pays Emotional Tribute to Longtime Rival Lionel Messi Following International Retirement | ⚽ LatestLY
Lionel Messi, 39, has retired from international football after 21 years, playing his final match for Argentina on October 6, 2026, in a 3-0 win over Benin in Buenos Aires. ⚽ Cristiano Ronaldo Pays Emotional Tribute to Longtime Rival Lionel Messi Following International Retirement.
The last game in the national jersey is over and the tears at Lionel Messi flow. Also a day later the Argentinean becomes emotional - in a thank you message. That comments his long-time rival Cristiano Ronaldo.
Cristiano Ronaldo's powerful message to his arch-rival Lionel Messi has taken social media by storm after the Argentine's official retirement from the national team. The Portuguese superstar took to the comments section of the No. 10's farewell post on Instagram, showing his immense respect for the rival with whom he has rewritten the history of the game over the past decade and a half. "Leo, so many years defending your country and a story that…
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