Lionel Messi’s international career appears to be entering its final chapter, with the Argentine legend announcing his retirement from international football at 39. After more than 21 years of representing Argentina and finally lifting the World Cup in 2022, Messi acknowledged the weight of the decision in an emotional Instagram post.
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“Time is running short, chapters come to a close, and this is one that hurts…,” he wrote, admitting that closing this chapter “hurts deeply.”
With one of football’s greatest careers now edging toward its conclusion, another familiar name has also found himself in the spotlight over his own future.
Just hours after Messi’s announcement, Cristiano Ronaldo shared a glimpse of his own routine on Instagram, posting three pictures from a training session. The 41-year-old was seen working on leg strength and balance in the gym before heading onto the football pitch, with another picture showing the Portugal captain in action. While Ronaldo made no reference to Messi or his retirement, the timing of the post inevitably brought attention to the stage of his own career.
Ronaldo kept the caption short and direct: “Keep pushing.” The three-word message quickly drew reactions from fans, particularly with Ronaldo himself now approaching the twilight of his playing career. One fan, seemingly struggling to process the contrasting developments involving the two legends, wrote, “Iam Ronaldo fan but Messi’s retirement.”
Ronaldo, meanwhile, has already acknowledged that his own playing career is nearing its final chapter. On August 16, 2026, the 41-year-old revealed that the 2026-27 season could be his last as a professional footballer.
“This is probably my last year of football, and I want to leave a spectacular legacy,” Ronaldo told Vogue.
The Messi-Ronaldo rivalry began taking shape in the late 2000s and reached another level when Ronaldo joined Real Madrid and Messi continued to lead Barcelona, putting the two superstars on opposite sides of one of football’s biggest club rivalries. For years, their careers were measured against each other as they battled for Ballon d’Ors, Champions League trophies, domestic titles, European Golden Shoes and scoring records. The debate over who was the better player became one of the defining conversations in football, turning their individual rivalry into an era of its own.
Yet for all the comparisons and competition, there has been little evidence of genuine personal animosity between the two. In 2023, Ronaldo himself appeared to put that rivalry into perspective, describing it as “gone” after years of competing against Messi. Now, with Messi stepping away from international football and Ronaldo admitting that his own playing career could soon be over, one of football’s greatest eras is slowly moving toward its conclusion.
Their names did briefly become linked again in 2026, however, after Ronaldo’s verified Instagram account was reported to have liked a post criticizing FIFA and alleging that Messi and Argentina had received favorable treatment during the 2022 World Cup. The reported interaction sparked some discussion among fans, but it offered little to suggest that the relationship between the two had changed significantly.
Ronaldo’s actions soon provided a very different picture. Following the death of Messi’s father, Jorge Messi, Ronaldo publicly offered his support to his longtime rival.
“A huge hug to you and your loved ones during these difficult times, Leo. Stay strong,” he wrote.
The gesture served as another reminder that the fierce competition between the two on the football pitch has not necessarily translated into personal animosity away from it.
Now, with Messi closing the door on his international career and Ronaldo acknowledging that his own career may soon reach its end, that era is finally beginning to fade.