Cristiano Ronaldo pays tribute to Messi after his last match with Argentina

After Lionel Messi’s international farewell, Cristiano Ronaldo sent him a message of respect that quickly moved supporters.

Lionel Messi’s last international appearance with Argentina sparked a wave of emotion throughout the football world. Against Benin, La Albiceleste won 3-0, with La Pulga once again decisive in all three goals, contributing one goal and two assists.

A few hours after the match, Lionel Messi posted a lengthy farewell message on Instagram in which he looked back on his journey with the national team, his family, his teammates and the many emotions experienced in the Argentina shirt.

Cristiano Ronaldo salutes Messi’s international career

Among the countless reactions sparked by the post, that of Cristiano Ronaldo obviously did not go unnoticed. The Portuguese, Messi’s historic rival for nearly two decades, wanted to send him a particularly respectful message directly beneath his post.

“Leo, so many years defending your country and a story that will remain etched in our memories forever.

My utmost respect for what you have achieved with Argentina. Sending you a hug.”

A short but symbolic message, given how much the two players shaped the same era. Despite their enduring sporting rivalry between Real Madrid and FC Barcelona, and later in the race for individual honours, Ronaldo and Messi have regularly shown respect for each other over the years.

Messi - Cristiano Ronaldo: 36 head-to-head meetings, with the advantage to the Argentine

Beyond the respect shown between the two legends, their rivalry was also built on 36 direct encounters with their clubs and national teams. The record favours Lionel Messi: his teams won 16 matches, compared with 11 victories for Cristiano Ronaldo’s teams, while 9 matches ended in a draw.

The gap is much narrower in front of goal. In those 36 duels, Messi scored 22 goals, compared with 21 for Ronaldo. Thirty of these encounters took place in Clásicos between FC Barcelona and Real Madrid, with the other six played in the Champions League or with Argentina and Portugal.

Their last official head-to-head meeting dates back to December 8, 2020, when Ronaldo’s Juventus won 3-0 at Camp Nou against Messi’s Barça. An exceptional sporting rivalry that makes the message posted by the Portuguese after his former rival’s international farewell even more symbolic.

Messi leaves La Albiceleste after one final masterclass

After more than 20 years with the Argentina national team, Messi is therefore definitively turning the page. His journey was notably marked by winning the World Cup and several continental titles, following many years of frustration with La Albiceleste.

And among all the tributes he received after his farewell, Cristiano Ronaldo’s will inevitably remain one of the most symbolic. Two legends from the same generation, two unique paths, and one final mark of respect that perfectly sums up a rivalry that has long since entered football history.

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Mahdi Zakaria LAZRI |

Editor

Football web writer creating digital sports content with a focus on news, analysis and stories that reflect passion, accuracy and objectivity.