Cristiano Ronaldo Pays Respect to Lionel Messi After Argentina Farewell
Cristiano Ronaldo Salutes Lionel Messi as Argentina Career Comes to an End
Kabarsaji.com – Lionel Messi’s final appearance for Argentina was marked by a commanding victory, an emotional farewell and a message of admiration from Cristiano Ronaldo, the player most closely linked with him throughout a defining era in football.
Argentina beat Benin 3-0 at Buenos Aires’ Monumental Stadium on Wednesday, October 7, 2026, in the match that brought Messi’s international career to a close. The 39-year-old contributed directly to all three goals, scoring once and setting up two others as Argentina gave its longtime captain a winning send-off.
Ronaldo responded publicly after the occasion, reflecting on Messi’s lengthy service to his country and the legacy created over more than two decades in international football.
“Leo, so many years defending your country and a story that will remain forever. All my respect for what you achieved with Argentina. A hug,” Ronaldo wrote on Instagram.
A farewell in Argentina colours
For Messi, the evening carried significance beyond the result. After the final whistle, he shared an Instagram message describing the immediate sense of missing Argentina’s famous blue-and-white shirt, despite having only just completed his last match for the national side.
He said his choice to step away felt right after a journey that included difficult moments as well as extraordinary successes.
“It has been an incredible journey, full of happiness and sadness, but I know every step I took was worth fighting for,” Messi wrote.
The farewell ended one of the longest and most decorated international careers in modern football. Messi made 208 appearances for Argentina and scored 126 goals. His achievements with the national team included one World Cup, two Copa América crowns and one Finalissima title.
Those trophies transformed the final years of his Argentina career. For much of his time with the senior side, Messi carried immense expectations while pursuing major international silverware. His eventual success gave his national-team story a different conclusion: one defined not only by individual brilliance, but by the major titles Argentina secured under his leadership.
Support from a historic rival
Ronaldo’s tribute added another notable moment to a relationship that has often been framed through rivalry. For years, the two stars competed for individual awards, club trophies and recognition as the leading player of their generation. Their careers encouraged constant comparisons, particularly during the period when Messi played for Barcelona and Ronaldo represented Real Madrid.
Yet the public rivalry has not prevented gestures of respect. Ronaldo’s message following Messi’s farewell focused on Argentina’s achievements and the scale of his fellow forward’s commitment to the national team.
Ronaldo had also offered support to Messi in a previous moment of personal loss, when Messi’s father, Jorge Messi, died. His condolences then, and his response to the Argentina farewell now, underline a relationship that has extended beyond competition on the pitch.
A career measured in more than numbers
Messi’s 126 goals and 208 caps provide a clear record of his impact, but the farewell at the Monumental Stadium also highlighted the emotional connection built with Argentina supporters. Wearing the national jersey remained central to his identity as a player, and his own farewell message made clear how much that experience meant to him.
He thanked the people who supported him through the different stages of his career, including family members, friends, teammates, coaches and the clubs where he played. Messi also expressed gratitude to God for the path he experienced with Argentina.
His final match offered a fitting summary of the qualities that shaped his international career. He found the net, created opportunities for teammates and left the field after Argentina had completed a comfortable 3-0 win. The performance gave supporters one final reminder of the influence he carried for the team over the years.
Argentina now enters a new chapter without the player who became its most enduring modern symbol. Messi’s departure leaves behind an extensive list of records, major trophies and defining matches, but also a standard that future Argentine teams will be measured against.
Ronaldo’s words captured the scale of that departure simply: Messi’s story with Argentina will remain. After 21 years with the national team, a World Cup, two Copa América titles, a Finalissima and 208 appearances, his farewell was both a personal ending and a landmark moment for international football.
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