‘All my respect’: Cristiano Ronaldo’s farewell message to longtime rival Messi

Portuguese football legend Cristiano Ronaldo sent his Argentine counterpart Lionel Messi a farewell message following his retirement from the national team, as he goes through what looks like his own farewell from international football, though on quite different terms.

Messi retired from the Albiceleste on Tuesday, playing his last game for Argentina as the team beat Benin 3-0. The event was marked by celebrations ahead of the match and a tribute ceremony for Messi afterward, which was followed by many around the world.

Amid the wave of farewell messages, the 39-year-old star received a very special one from the Portuguese legend.

“Leo, so many years defending your country’s colors, and a story that will remain forever,” the former Manchester United and Real Madrid player wrote on social media. “All my respect for what you’ve achieved with Argentina. Sending you a big hug.”

Messi vs CR7 Ronaldo and Messi shared one of world football’s biggest rivalries in the 21st century, contesting the title of best player in the world for many years. 

The peak of their rivalry came between 2009 and 2018, when they led Spanish Clásico derby rivals Real Madrid and FC Barcelona, respectively. Between 2008 and 2023, only two players other than Messi and Ronaldo won the Ballon d’Or, the annual award for the best player of the season.

Ronaldo left his message in a comment on an Instagram post by Messi, where the Argentine star touched on some of the acknowledgments he left out of his farewell speech on Tuesday, thanking his family, friends, teammates and clubs, as well as fellow legend Diego Maradona, his former coach, who died in 2020.

Messi’s post blew up on social media, with more than 21.8 million likes and 920,000 comments at the time of writing.

“I’m forever grateful. I love you all very much; I’m going to miss you, and I will always thank you for having been by our side — by my side,” he wrote.

Controversial twilight It’s been quite a different story for Ronaldo as he goes through the final stage of his career with the Portuguese national team.

While Messi got a loving send-off from teammates and fans alike, the Portuguese star is facing controversy over his decision to walk away from his national team last Wednesday, after head coach Jorge Jesus benched him during a match against Norway and said he was not going to be a starter in the country’s following game against Denmark.

Ronaldo later published a statement saying Jesus had told him that his presence “was fundamental to his project” after taking the reins at Portugal, and that he had presented him with a “plan for [his] involvement” in the upcoming fixtures.

“The manager broke his word,” the Portuguese star wrote.

He said that after the controversy over the Norway match he had a conversation with Jesus and the sporting director at his current club, Al-Nassr, and they had decided that the coach would address the issue with a list of items agreed upon by all parties.

They included Jesus acknowledging that he had made a mistake “by having someone of the caliber of Pelé or Maradona warm up and then not putting him in the game,” and that Ronaldo was “exemplary, loyal, and professional.”

The former Portugal captain insisted that he walked out after the press conference didn’t go according to that plan.

Mixed reactions Many in the sporting world pointed to the contrast between Ronaldo’s current predicament with his national team and Messi’s loving send-off, highlighting the Argentine’s humility and grounded personality.

Major European media outlets criticized the Portuguese star for his actions, with ESPN US’s Alex Pareja saying that he is “destroying his image” and author and journalist Jonathan Wilson highlighting the “monstrousness of his ego.”

Former Benfica star António Simões said Ronaldo’s statement gives “the feeling that [he] is an egomaniac who only thinks about himself.”

In the city of Lisbon, several banners appeared supporting the forward and opposing Jorge Jesus.

The Portuguese coach said only that he “read the statement” and that he thinks only “about the team.”

Ronaldo hasn’t confirmed whether he’ll return to the Portugal national team, although it seems unlikely while Jesus remains as head coach. 

At 41, the opportunities for a comeback and redemption will be limited.