Lionel Messi’s latest retirement announcement has revived memories of his emotional decision to quit international football for the first time in 2016. Argentina’s defeat to Chile in the Copa America final pushed Messi to step away from the national team, and Cristiano Ronaldo was among the high-profile figures who responded to his decision.
Messi’s latest appearance for Argentina came in the World Cup final, where Spain ended the country’s title defence by lifting the trophy in North America. Following the defeat, Messi confirmed on Monday that he would no longer wear the Argentina shirt.
The Argentine had already taken the same decision once before. In 2016, Messi announced his international retirement shortly after Argentina lost the Copa America final to Chile. He had missed his penalty in the shootout, adding to the disappointment of another lost final.
At just 29, Messi’s decision came as a major shock to the footballing world. He had endured several painful defeats with Argentina and was visibly devastated after the loss. Ronaldo responded by asking people to understand the emotions that had led Messi to make such a difficult choice.
“Messi has taken a tough decision, and people should understand,” Ronaldo said in an interview with Mundo Deportivo.
Ronaldo also insisted that Messi should not be judged solely on the missed penalty. “He is not accustomed to defeats and disappointments, not even finishing second. Missing a penalty does not make you a bad player,” he said.
The Portuguese forward then expressed his hope that Messi would return to international football. “It hurts to see Messi in tears, and I hope he returns to his country, because he needs it,” Ronaldo added.
Messi eventually reversed his decision and returned to the Argentina setup. His comeback turned into a remarkable success story, with the forward winning the Copa America in 2021 and 2024 and then guiding Argentina to the FIFA World Cup title in 2022.
The World Cup victory marked the biggest achievement of Messi’s international career and completed his collection of major honours with Argentina. Ronaldo, meanwhile, has yet to win the World Cup with Portugal.
While Messi’s latest announcement could potentially bring a definitive end to his international career, Ronaldo’s own future with Portugal remains unclear. The veteran forward has yet to make a final decision about his international career.
