The announcement that Lionel Messi was retiring from the Argentina national team following his farewell match against Benin at the Estadio Monumental sparked a flood of reactions worldwide.

Leaders, coaches, team-mates and millions of fans expressed their admiration for the Albiceleste captain.

However, amongst all the messages shared online, one response in particular captured the attention of the footballing world: Cristiano Ronaldo’s comment on Instagram.

The Portuguese striker’s interaction with the post in which Messi shared his farewell letter immediately went viral.

Beyond the comparisons and footballing debates between the two, Ronaldo’s gesture reflected the depth of mutual respect that exists between the two most successful players in the history of the Ballon d'Or.

A message for the history books

Following the match against Benin at the Estadio Monumental, Messi posted an emotional message on his personal account to bid a final farewell to the Argentina national team.

At that moment, the Portuguese star did not hesitate to take to social media to pay tribute to his “great rival” and congratulate him on all he has achieved on the international stage.

“Leo, so many years representing your country and a legacy that will last forever. My utmost respect for what you’ve achieved with Argentina. A hug,” wrote Cristiano.

Head-to-head
clashes at international level

Despite having starred in dozens of memorable derbies at club level, the clashes between Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo at international level have been few and far between.

With both players on the pitch, Argentina and Portugal have only faced each other head-to-head on two occasions throughout their long international careers.

Argentina 2–1 Portugal (9 February 2011 – Geneva, Switzerland)

The first international friendly between Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo took place at the Stade de Genève in front of a packed stadium.

Both players started the match as undisputed leaders of their respective national teams.

The match began with the South American side taking the lead thanks to a goal from Ángel Di María in the 14th minute, following a precise assist from Messi.

However, Portugal’s response was not long in coming: in the 21st minute, Cristiano Ronaldo capitalised on a ball into the box to score the equaliser.

Just as the match seemed destined to end in a draw, Messi sealed Argentina’s 2–1 victory with a penalty in the 90th minute. Both stars played the full 90 minutes.

Argentina 0–1 Portugal (18 November 2014 – Manchester, England)

The second and final clash between these two legends whilst representing their national teams took place at the legendary Old Trafford stadium.

On that occasion, both Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo once again featured in their national teams’ starting line-ups, as captains.

Both players featured only in the first 45 minutes of the match, being substituted at half-time as part of a tactical decision by the managers to manage their workload.

Portugal secured a last-gasp victory thanks to a header from full-back Raphaël Guerreiro in the 91st minute, sealing a 1–0 win for the European side.

Ultimately, it was an international victory for both of them.

A true reflection of the parity that has characterised them throughout their sporting careers.

Beyond the titles, records and individual statistics, the mutual respect between these two icons of their era reaffirms that true greatness is also measured by the respect shown towards one’s opponent.

Absolute legends.