Portuguese Cristiano Ronaldo praised his historic rival, Lionel Messi, on Wednesday, after the Argentine star announced his retirement from international football, putting aside one of the most famous individual rivalries in football history.
Ronaldo wrote, commenting on Messi’s farewell message on Instagram: “Leo, after all these years in which you defended the colors of your country, you made history that will last forever.” I have the utmost respect for what you have achieved with Argentina. a hug".
Ronaldo's message came after Messi, 39, played his last match for Argentina, scoring a goal and making two goals in a 3-0 friendly win over Benin, in front of more than 85,000 fans at the Monumental Stadium in Buenos Aires, in an evening that turned into a celebration of his international career, which spanned 21 years.
After the match, Messi posted a long message, in which he said: “Yesterday’s match was my last, and I have already begun to miss wearing the blue and white shirt. I know I'm making the right decision. “It has been an incredible journey, full of joy and also some sadness, but I am sure every step I took was worth it.”
The former Argentine captain was keen to remember Diego Maradona, saying: “I do not want to forget Diego, who put our country in the position it deserves, and who, as I always say, I know that he helped us, whether by his presence with us or by his spirit that continued to accompany us in every step we took.”
Messi also thanked the clubs he played for for respecting his association with his country’s national team and giving him the opportunity to join the national team whenever he was called up, before concluding his message by saying: “I feel grateful. I love you all so much. I will miss you, and I will always thank you for standing by our side and by my side.”
Messi ended his international career after leading Argentina to win the 2022 World Cup, the Copa America titles in 2021 and 2024, in addition to the “Finalisima” Cup in 2022.
Ronaldo's message to Messi comes at a time when the 41-year-old Portugal captain is experiencing a dispute with his country's national team coach, Jorge Jesus, after he left the national team camp during the international break.
Declan Rice, the Arsenal and England midfielder, is close to reaching an agreement to sign a new long-term contract with the London club.
Rice has become one of the most prominent players in Arsenal's ranks since his move from West Ham for 105 million pounds sterling in July 2023.
The current player's contract expires at the end of next season, and negotiations regarding its extension began several months ago, before they have now reached an advanced stage.
The 27-year-old player has started more than 150 matches with Arsenal, and is considered one of the main pillars of the English national team, as coach Thomas Tuchel described him this week as one of the best midfielders in Europe.
Under the new contract, Rice is expected to receive a significant increase in his weekly salary, which currently amounts to about 240,000 pounds sterling, to become close to Bukayo Saka, the highest-paid member of the team, who earns about 350,000 pounds sterling per week.
This move comes after Arsenal announced, on Wednesday, that its coach, Mikel Arteta, had signed a new four-year contract with the English Premier League champion.
The star, Lionel Messi, admitted on Wednesday, the day after his farewell match with the Argentina national team against Benin at the “Monumental” stadium of the River Plate club in Buenos Aires, that he really misses the “Albiceleste” shirt.
Messi (39 years old) wrote on his Instagram account: “Yesterday was my last match and I really miss the Albiceleste shirt,” stressing, however, that he made “the right decision.”
Messi played his last match with the Argentine national team on Tuesday, and led them to a friendly victory over Benin 3-0, by scoring a goal from a penalty kick and passing two decisive balls.
The legendary leader of Albiceleste added in the poignant post: “It was an amazing journey, full of joys but also some sorrows,” thanking his family and colleagues, and praising in particular his legendary compatriot Diego Armando Maradona, one of the most famous people to wear the No. 10 shirt, who died in 2020 at the age of 60.
The former Spanish Barcelona star continued: “I know that he helped us by being here with us and also from heaven.”
Messi, who won the Ballon d'Or for the best player in the world eight times, announced his international retirement after a busy career that crowned him as the best Argentine scorer in history (126 goals), the best passer (70) and the most participating (208 international matches).
During “La Pulga” (the Flea)’s career with Argentina, she was crowned champion of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, and was runner-up twice (in Brazil 2014 and the World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico 2026).
It also won the Copa America title twice, in 2021 and 2024, and the “Vinalisima” Cup in 2022, which is a match that brings together the champions of South America and Europe.
At the youth level, the Albiceleste team, led by Messi, won the Olympic gold medal in Beijing in 2008, and the Youth World Cup in 2005.
