‘All my respect’: Cristiano Ronaldo’s farewell message to longtime rival Messi

Cristiano Ronaldo, the Portuguese football icon, conveyed his farewell message to Argentine rival Lionel Messi after the latter retired from the national team. As Ronaldo embarks on his own farewell from international football, the message stands out amidst a deluge of tributes. Messi ended his international career with Argentina on Tuesday, with a ceremony honoring him taking place subsequently.

Following the wave of farewell messages, Ronaldo sent Messi a unique message on social media. "Leo, so many years defending your country’s colors, and a story that will remain forever," Ronaldo wrote. "All my respect for what you’ve achieved with Argentina. Sending you a big hug." The two footballers had a fierce rivalry in the 21st century, contending for the title of best player in the world for many years.

Their clash peaked between 2009 and 2018, when they were the respective leaders of Real Madrid and FC Barcelona. Only two players, other than Messi and Ronaldo, have won the prestigious Ballon d'Or award since 2008. In his Instagram post, Messi expressed gratitude to his family, friends, teammates, clubs, and even his former coach Diego Maradona.

His message garnered over 21.8 million likes and 920,000 comments. However, Ronaldo's own farewell has been met with mixed reactions due to controversy surrounding his decision to retire from the Portuguese national team. While Messi received a warm send-off, Ronaldo is facing backlash for walking away from his national team after being benched in a match against Norway.

He later published a statement explaining that the coach had informed him that his presence was crucial to his plans. Ronaldo claimed the coach had breached his word and that a plan for his involvement was discussed with his club's management. Despite the mixed reactions, Ronaldo remains open to a potential return to the Portugal national team, although his chances of redemption seem slim given his age.