Cristiano Ronaldo paid tribute to Lionel Messi on social media after Messi’s farewell from international football following Argentina’s friendly match against Benin in Buenos Aires. In his Instagram post, Messi expressed deep emotions about retiring at age 39, reflecting on his achievements and thanking fans and clubs for their support. Ronaldo responded with respect for Messi’s accomplishments and a personal note of affection. The two have been longtime rivals but also mutual admirers within the football world, having won 13 Ballon d’Or awards between them over their careers.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-10-08,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Cristiano Ronaldo has hailed his longtime adversary Lionel Messi in a tribute to the Argentinian icon, who bid a grand farewell to international football.
asserted
who → hail → football
The Portuguese forward wrote the message in response to Messi’s social media post on Wednesday, a day after Argentina’s friendly match against Benin in Buenos Aires, where the local idol and global icon bid an emotional goodbye.
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idol → write → goodbye
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crisis → live → football
“Leo, after so many years of defending your country, you’ve made history that will last forever,” Ronaldo said in his reply to Messi’s Instagram post in which the Argentinian poured out his emotions after hanging up his boots for his country.
asserted
Argentinian → defend → country
“I have the utmost respect for what you’ve accomplished with Argentina,” Ronaldo added, ending the message with: “A hug”.
asserted
Ronaldo → have → hug
The careers of Messi and Ronaldo followed a similar trajectory and crossed paths for many years in club and international football.
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careers → follow → football
It resulted in a hotly contested rivalry, mostly between the two players’ supporters over the past two decades.
asserted
It → result → decades
The pair dominated the sport for more than 15 years, winning the prestigious Ballon d’Or award 13 times between them.
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pair → dominate → them
Their rivalry grew over the nine years in which they faced off against each other in Spain, with Messi starring for Barcelona and Ronaldo for Real Madrid.
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Ronaldo → grow → Madrid
Messi, 39, announced his retirement from international football after leading his country to the World Cup final in July in the United States, where the 2022 champions were runners-up behind Spain.
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champions → announce → Spain
“Yesterday was my last game, and I already miss wearing the blue and white.
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I → miss → blue
I know I’m making the right decision,” Messi said in a lengthy message a day after his final match in the famous number 10 blue and white shirt.
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Messi → know → shirt
“It’s been an incredible journey, full of joy and also some sadness, but I know for sure that every step I took was worth it.”
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I → know → joy
“I don’t want to forget Diego [Maradona], who put our country where it deserved to be and
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it → want → country
who, as I always say, I know helped us both by being here with us and also from heaven, with every step we took,” he said.
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he → say → step
“Thank you to the clubs where I played, for always respecting my feelings and allowing me to dedicate myself to my country whenever it was time to put on the national team jersey.”
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it → thank → jersey
Messi scored Argentina’s final goal in a 3-0 win and provided assists for the other two as the Albiceleste played in front of 85,000 fans at the Monumental Stadium.
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Albiceleste → score → Stadium
Messi captained Argentina to the 2022 World Cup title and Copa America triumphs in 2021 and 2024, while also helping them win the 2022 Finalissima.
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them → captain → Finalissima
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,” the Inter Miami playmaker added.
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playmaker → love → side
Messi and Ronaldo have vied for recognition as the greatest player of their generation throughout their illustrious careers.
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Messi → vie → careers
The 41-year-old Portuguese forward was among the hundreds of thousands who responded to Messi’s post.
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who → respond → post
Messi’s final game came the same day Ronaldo apologised for his controversial departure from the Portuguese national team’s camp after a fallout with coach Jorge Jesus.
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Ronaldo → come → Jesus
It remains unclear whether Ronaldo will play for his country again, despite his apology for walking out, which leaves the door open to a return.
uncertain
which → remain → return
Messi and Ronaldo last met on the pitch in an exhibition match in Saudi Arabia in January 2023, when they took fans back in time to the heyday of their storied rivalry, as both forwards got on the scoresheet.
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forwards → meet → scoresheet
Ronaldo, who plays for Saudi Pro League champions Al Nassr, was part of a Riyadh Season Team that took on Messi’s then-club Paris Saint-Germain (PSG).
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that → play → club
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