Messi bows out of Argentina surrounded by love, Ronaldo leaves Portugal camp amid a feud

"We hope we don't cry too much." That's what Cristian "Cuti" Romero said when asked about Lionel Messi's farewell, and the quote alone tells you almost everything you need to know about what's coming in Argentina. On October 6, against Benin, it won't just be another friendly: it will be Messi's last match with the Albiceleste, a send-off built to honor a legend. And if you want to understand what that farewell really means, just look at what's happening at the same time on the other side of the ocean, with Cristiano Ronaldo.

Because the contrast couldn't be bigger. While Messi gets ready to leave surrounded by teammates, by a generation that grew up watching him play, and by fans who have already started turning his goodbye into a celebration, Ronaldo walked out of Portugal's camp in the middle of a conflict with coach Jorge Jesus. The 41 year old forward was left out of the starting lineup against Norway, warmed up but never came on, and days later, after speaking with federation president Pedro Proenca, decided to leave. He said he would explain his reasons "in due time." For now, his future with the national team is up in the air.

Portugal, without their star man, answered on the field: a 4-2 win over Denmark, with goals from Joao Cancelo, Goncalo Ramos, Vitinha and Joao Felix. Jesus chose not to go into detail about the Ronaldo situation and instead put the focus on the commitment of the rest of the squad.

Two very different starting points

The difference isn't just how each one is leaving, it's also the moment each man is leaving from. Messi just played his third World Cup final in four editions. At the 2026 World Cup he finished with eight goals and four assists, took home the Silver Ball and the Silver Boot, and helped Argentina reach the final again, where they fell 1-0 to Spain. On top of that, he's still among the 30 nominees for the 2026 Ballon d'Or and is expected to finish in the top ten. At 39, Messi isn't leaving as a fading figure or someone under scrutiny: he's leaving as captain and leader.

Then there's his bond with the group. Players from different generations, from Nico Paz and Franco Mastantuono to Lautaro Martinez, have spoken about how much Messi meant in the locker room. For them, this farewell closes a shared chapter, not just one player's career.

It wasn't always this way. After losing the 2014 World Cup final and two straight Copa America finals to Chile, Messi actually announced his retirement following the defeat in the 2016 Copa America Centenario. But the squad itself pushed back and asked him to stay, the coaching staff left the door open, and Messi returned. What followed changed his story forever: the 2021 Copa America, the 2022 Finalissima, the 2022 World Cup and the 2024 Copa America, where he was named best player in both editions of the continental tournament.

A captain with less support

Ronaldo arrives at his possible ending with more questions than certainties. Portugal also had plenty of talent around him, with Vitinha, Nuno Mendes, Joao Neves and Bruno Fernandes, but the World Cup ended in the round of 16, eliminated by Spain on a Mikel Merino goal in the 90th minute. Cristiano did score against Croatia, his first goal in a World Cup knockout match, in the 2-1 win that sent Portugal through to the round of 16. But that elimination also marked the end of his World Cup career: he confirmed himself that he would not play in a seventh World Cup.

Wearing the Portugal jersey, he won the 2016 Euros and both Nations League titles, in 2019 and 2025. The current problem has nothing to do with trophies, it's about getting along. During the World Cup itself, Joao Neves dropped a line that set off the debate:

We know what Cristiano has done for us, but right now he's no different from the rest of us. He's just another player trying to help.Joao Neves

There's no way to say for certain that the Portuguese locker room is broken, but there were public signs of frustration between Ronaldo and some teammates over attacking plays and set pieces. With Messi, when things got difficult, the group responded by asking him to stay. With Cristiano, so far, the opposite has happened.

Messi will have the Monumental, his teammates, and an entire country thanking him. Cristiano, on the other hand, faces a far more uncertain ending: after 23 years, 234 matches and 146 goals with Portugal, his final image with the national team risks being tied to a dispute and an abrupt exit. Two extraordinary careers that, at least for now, soccer has decided to close in completely opposite ways.