Lionel Messi scored once and provided two assists in his farewell match for Argentina before reflecting on the occasion in an Instagram post. It was his first public statement since describing the thought of ending his international career as the “saddest day” of his career.
Cristiano Ronaldo responded to Messi’s post with a message praising his long international career. “Leo, so many years defending your country and a story that will last forever,” Ronaldo wrote. “All my respect for what you have achieved with Argentina. A hug.”
The two football icons have dominated the sport for more than two decades, winning 13 Ballon d’Or awards between them. Messi has won the award eight times, compared with Ronaldo’s five. They also featured at the FIFA World Cup in Canada, the United States and Mexico, where Messi recorded eight goals and four assists as Argentina reached the final before losing to Spain, while Ronaldo scored three goals before Portugal were eliminated in the round of 16.
