Messi scores in Argentina farewell as Ronaldo’s Portugal dispute draws coach’s response
Argentina beat Benin 3-0 in Lionel Messi’s farewell match before the home crowd. Separately, Cristiano Ronaldo said he remained available for Portugal after leaving its camp, while coach Jorge Jesus disputed his account of an agreement.
Lionel Messi scored in Argentina’s 3-0 win over Benin at Buenos Aires’s Monumental Stadium on October 6, his final national-team appearance before the home crowd, according to the Argentine Football Association. Separately, Cristiano Ronaldo’s dispute with Portugal coach Jorge Jesus continued on October 7, when Jesus responded to Ronaldo’s public account of why he left the national-team camp.
The two developments concern different teams and circumstances. Messi’s match was staged as a farewell after his announced retirement from international football. Ronaldo, by contrast, said he remained available for Portugal, even as his account of private discussions with Jesus was disputed. Neither account establishes that the two players’ next steps are connected.
How Messi’s Argentina farewell unfolded
The Argentine Football Association said the Monumental was full for the match against Benin. Argentina went into halftime without a goal, then Nicolás Otamendi opened the scoring. Nicolás Paz added the second before Messi scored the third late in the game. The association described the fixture as Messi’s last appearance for Argentina in the country and said the crowd stayed with its captain through the end of the celebration.
Associated Press reported that Messi scored from the penalty spot and set up Argentina’s other two goals. It put the match at his 208th appearance for the national team, closing a 21-year international career. According to AP, he had announced his retirement on August 31 after Argentina lost the 2026 World Cup final to Spain. The Benin match gave supporters a home farewell after that announcement, rather than marking a newly announced retirement.
Demand reflected the scale of that farewell. AP reported that more than 85,000 tickets sold out in 90 minutes. It also reported resale listings above $2,500 for seats initially priced at roughly $60 to $300. Those were reported listings, not confirmed sale prices. The association said a drone, lights and fireworks show formed part of the event; a Guardian commentary reported that an insurance-company advertisement appeared during the drone display.
The response was personal for supporters as well as ceremonial. AP quoted 17-year-old fan Valentino Ruso saying Messi would be missed and that the country was upset. It also quoted University of Chicago scholar Andrés Rabinovich describing football as a source of respite and joy amid Argentina’s difficulties. Those reactions help explain why a friendly against Benin carried more weight than its result alone.
What Ronaldo says happened in Portugal’s camp
In a statement issued on October 6, Ronaldo gave his account of leaving Portugal’s camp in Copenhagen before the previous week’s Nations League match against Denmark, according to Reuters reporting carried by Channel NewsAsia. He said an initial plan called for him to miss the Norway and Denmark games to manage his fitness. He also said Jesus later told him he might play 30 minutes against Norway, but that he warmed up from halftime and was never sent on.
Ronaldo said a later meeting with Jesus led to a proposed set of eight points for the coach to address publicly. He said Jesus’s subsequent comments did not match what they had discussed. These are Ronaldo’s claims about private conversations, not established terms of an agreement. Reuters reported that Jesus denied making an agreement with Ronaldo after Portugal’s Sunday win over Norway.
Ronaldo apologised for failing to greet supporters after the Norway match and for leaving his teammates, Reuters reported. He said the Portuguese Football Federation should assess his actions and impose any punishment it considered appropriate. He also said he would be available to play for Portugal if fit and after any suspension. Availability is his stated position; it does not confirm a selection or a date for his return.
Jesus responds, with Ronaldo’s return unresolved
On October 7, Jesus said he had read Ronaldo’s statement and was going to the federation to work and think about the team, according to remarks reported by Cadena SER and attributed to Portuguese newspaper A Bola. His response did not resolve the conflicting accounts of their discussions. Reuters reported that Jesus had left open the possibility of Ronaldo returning, while the federation had not immediately responded to its request for comment.
Messi’s home farewell has therefore taken place, with a goal and an Argentina win recorded in the association’s match account. Ronaldo’s immediate national-team status remains less settled: he says he is available, while any federation decision and future selection remain unconfirmed in the reporting available so far. The coach and player also give different accounts of whether a commitment was made about explaining Ronaldo’s omission.
Sources and context
- Tears, drone ads and a 1,740-word manifesto: Messi v Ronaldo gets one more chapterThe Guardian
- La selección Argentina despidió a Lionel Messi con una goleada ante BenínAsociación del Fútbol Argentino
- Argentina bids Messi farewell in final national team match, ending an eraAssociated Press
- Ronaldo accuses coach Jesus of broken promises but leaves Portugal return openChannel NewsAsia / Reuters
- Jorge Jesus reacciona a la explicación de Cristiano Ronaldo sobre su marcha de la selección portuguesa: "Leí el comunicado..."Cadena SER
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