Lionel Messi’s farewell from the Argentina national team had a strong impact on social media. After the 3-0 win over Benin at the Monumental that marked his last match in the Albiceleste shirt, the captain shared a thank-you letter to fans on his Instagram account.
The post, which surpassed three million “likes” in barely half an hour, had a surprise: eight minutes after it was published, Cristiano Ronaldo appeared in the comments with a message that set aside any rivalry.
Cristiano Ronaldo Reacts to Lionel Messi’s Argentina Retirement With Classy Message
“Leo, so many years defending your country and a story that will last forever. All my respect for what you have achieved with Argentina. A hug,” the Portuguese wrote.
The gesture is not an isolated event, but a sign of the respect they built off the field, far from the dispute for the throne of world soccer. Last August, after Jorge Messi’s death, Cristiano dedicated a message of condolences and public support. Throughout their careers, the two most decisive soccer players of this era crossed paths only twice at the national team level: in February 2011 in Switzerland (Argentina won 2-1 with goals from both) and in November 2014 in Manchester (Portugal won 1-0 with a goal from Raphaël Guerreiro in stoppage time).
Cristiano’s words also drew attention for the timing: the Al Nassr forward is going through difficult days after leaving Portugal’s training camp because of his differences with Jorge Jesus, whom he accused of failing to honor agreements about his minutes in the Nations League. While awaiting a possible disciplinary sanction and amid comparisons about how each is handling the final stretch of his international career, the Portuguese attacker set aside his personal conflict to recognize the trajectory of the rival with whom he marked an era.
For more than 10 years, CR7 and La Pulga were the protagonists of one of the greatest rivalries in world soccer history. From high-intensity duels in LaLiga with Barcelona and Real Madrid to individual awards, the Portuguese and the Argentine dominated an entire era of modern soccer, leading their clubs and countries to the highest levels.
During their careers in pursuit of being the best, both pushed each other to improve, achieving more than 85 titles between them. Together, they scored 1,910 goals.
Cristiano Ronaldo Sets Aside Rivalry to Honor Lionel Messi After Argentina Farewell