Two endings for one era: Messi bids farewell from the summit, Ronaldo chooses to finish on the bench
The end of years of struggle
Cristiano Ronaldo clings on to his Portugal career despite his fading presence in the starting line-up and mounting questions about his role. His historic rival Lionel Messi is preparing the final chapter with Argentina, a farewell tens of thousands of fans will witness in Buenos Aires on 6 October.
For nearly two decades, the pair shared the throne of world football. Each set a benchmark few players have ever matched for staying at the very top.
Between 2008 and 2023, Ronaldo and Messi claimed 13 of the 15 Ballon d'Or awards. Their rivalry went beyond numbers and titles and became one of the greatest stories the game has known.
At 41 and 39 respectively, the two legends now face endings that could not be more different. Messi is heading towards a celebratory farewell to the Argentina shirt. Ronaldo, by contrast, is holding on to his place with Portugal, refusing to let his final years become nothing more than a prelude to retirement.
The farewell of a champion who reclaimed his throne
Lionel Messi no longer needs to prove his place in football history. Eight Ballon d'Or awards, the 2022 World Cup and two Copa América triumphs have crafted an exceptional career for the Argentine, who chased the greatest dream in his country's shirt for years before landing it in Qatar. That victory ended a debate that had followed him throughout his international career.
When he moved to Inter Miami, some believed Messi had entered the final phase of his career, and that his distance from European competition would dim his presence on the pitch.
He proved otherwise at the 2026 World Cup. Still capable of making the difference, he dragged Argentina to the final against Spain and scored eight goals along the way.
His role was no symbolic captain's turn with the armband. Messi remained pivotal to Argentina's run, confirming he could still deliver on the biggest occasions despite his advancing age.
Criticism rained down on the national team and some of its players after the events that followed the final, yet Messi kept his standing. He drew on a vast record of achievements and an exceptional bond with the Argentine fans.
The question of continuing was never far from his mind, though. That grew sharper after the death of his father Jorge Messi this summer, a personal loss that struck at a sensitive stage of his career.
Weighing retirement against carrying on, Messi chose to end his international journey in a manner befitting all he has given his country.
The sixth of October is set to be the date of his farewell, during a friendly against Benin at the Monumental stadium in Buenos Aires.
Tickets told the story. All 80,000 sold out in just 90 minutes, turning the match into a public event before a ball had been kicked.
The Argentine Football Association is preparing a special celebration fit for its captain, including a shirt designed for the occasion. The public awaits the moment of farewell that will close an extraordinary era in Argentine football.
Retirement may not sever the ties entirely. Messi could yet join the national team's technical staff, continuing a relationship his name has been linked to for years.
Ronaldo: he does not want the end to be now
Cristiano Ronaldo, on the other side, does not appear ready to walk the same path.
Two years older than Messi, the Portuguese star still clings to his international career despite the shift in his role and his falling number of starts in recent times.
Ronaldo's relationship with Portugal has long dominated the local media and the fanbase, especially with his advancing age and the ongoing debate over how far it makes sense to rely on him in the starting XI.
Portugal's captain still believes he can offer more, and that his international career has not yet reached its final stage.
Last August, Ronaldo spoke about his future and hinted the current year might be his last in football, but he wants to leave a legacy worthy of his career. He told Vogue magazine: "This may be my last year in football, and I want to leave a wonderful legacy."
His recent appearances reopened the debate about his standing. The match against Norway said it all: he spent the entire game on the substitutes' bench, a rare sight for a player who had been the first name on Portugal's teamsheet for years.
Portugal won 2-1, but the result could not keep the spotlight off Ronaldo. Frustrated at not playing, he headed straight for the dressing room at the final whistle, without joining his teammates to salute the fans and celebrate the win.
That behaviour raised questions about the position of a captain who carries the responsibility of leadership. It also put his relationship with head coach Jorge Jesus under the microscope, especially as Jesus had worked with him at Al-Nassr in Saudi Arabia and knows him well.
Jesus admitted afterwards that he needed to talk to Ronaldo. His participation, the coach stressed, was tied to what he offers on the pitch, like the rest of the players, a stance that suggests he will be judged on the team's needs rather than his historic standing alone.
"I need to talk to him," the Portuguese coach said, adding that he could not comment on his captain's motives before speaking to him.
Ronaldo remains an influential figure inside the dressing room. His role on the pitch, though, is no longer guaranteed the way it once was.
The comparison with Messi hovered over the scene. In recent years Ronaldo has grown used to hearing fans chant his Argentine rival's name, moments that have provoked angry reactions from him and kept their historic rivalry alive long after they left Europe's pitches behind.
Two different endings for two legends
The gap between Messi and Ronaldo is not simply about retiring or carrying on. It is about how each man approaches the end of his international journey.
Crowned with the biggest titles he ever chased with his country, the Argentine is preparing to leave the stage amid public celebration. The Portuguese is still hunting for a chance to keep giving, clinging to his place with the national team he led for so many years.
Rivalry bound them together for years. They shared the awards, the numbers and the spotlight, yet they are heading for endings that could not be more different. Messi is preparing for a farewell that celebrates all he achieved in the Argentina shirt. Ronaldo clings on with Portugal, refusing to let farewell define his final stage, still convinced he has something to offer on the pitch.
