Cristiano Ronaldo honors Lionel Messi after his Argentina farewell

TVS News AI, editorially supervised, presents Cristiano Ronaldo honors Lionel Messi after his Argentina farewell.

For over a decade, they shaped the football world – and repeatedly sparked comparisons. On Tuesday evening, the Messi-Ronaldo chapter took a surprising turn: Cristiano Ronaldo publicly honored his great rival Lionel Messi – of all places on Instagram, right after Messi had played his final international match for Argentina.

The trigger: Messi had played his farewell in Argentina's 3-0 win over Benin and had himself shared an emotional post on social media. Ronaldo responded with a gesture that has become rare in the football world – a direct, respectful tribute to the man with whom he competed at the highest level of world football for over a decade.

What Ronaldo wrote on Instagram

According to L'Équipe, Ronaldo addressed Messi personally in his post. The core message: „Tout mon respect pour ce que tu as réussi avec l'Argentine" – in English: „All my respect for what you have achieved with Argentina".

There is a small nuance between the two available sources in the exact wording: L'Équipe quotes „réussi" (achieved), Ouest-France „accompli" (accomplished). Both versions honor Messi's career with the Albiceleste – the tone is identical.

Messi's final appearance in the Albiceleste jersey

The occasion for Ronaldo's message was Messi's final international match. According to Ouest-France, he played his farewell match in Argentina's 3-0 win over Benin. Afterwards, Messi himself turned to his fans via social media.

L'Équipe dates the action to Tuesday evening – meaning right after Messi's final appearance and his own farewell post. This makes the sequence clear: Messi says goodbye, Ronaldo says thank you and respect.

What this moment reveals about the Messi-Ronaldo era

For over a decade, the two shaped world football – as rivals in the league, in the Champions League, and in the races for the major individual awards. Anyone who watched football during this time knows the countless comparisons and heated debates.

What L'Équipe and Ouest-France are now documenting is a public recognition of one another – triggered by the end of Messi's chapter in the national jersey. Both sources leave open what Ronaldo's own plans with Portugal look like.