Cristiano Ronaldo had once sent a message of support to Lionel Messi following his Copa America heartbreak. The incident occurred after the 2016 final, where Argentina lost to Chile on penalties.
La Pulga missed a penalty and was seen in tears after the game. It was the fourth time Messi had tasted defeat in a final with La Albiceleste. The Argentinean had been on the losing side in the 2007, 2015, and 2016 Copa America finals. He had also tasted defeat in the 2014 FIFA World Cup final, where his nation was undone by a 113th-minute (extra-time) Mario Gotze goal.
Following the defeat in 2016, the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner had temporarily announced his retirement from the Argentina national team. It was then that Cristiano Ronaldo came out in support of his eternal rival.
Speaking to Mundo Deportivo ahead of Portugal’s Euro 2016 semifinal against Wales, he urged Lionel Messi to reconsider his decision to retire.
“Messi has taken a tough decision and people should understand. He is not accustomed to defeats and disappointments, not even finishing second. Missing a penalty does not make you a bad player. It hurts to see Messi in tears and I hope he returns to his country, because he needs it,” said Ronaldo.
Cristiano Ronaldo went on to win the Euro 2016 that year, surging ahead in the GOAT debate. The Argentinean, though, would catch up in a few years.
How many international trophies have Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi won in their career?
Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi have rewritten football history countless times during their career and have found success with their national team as well. Apart from Euro 2016, the Portuguese also won the 2018-19 UEFA Nations League with his country.
Messi, meanwhile, won the Under-20 World Cup in 2005 and the Olympic Gold in 2008, but silverware with the senior side eluded him for long. The curse was finally broken in 2021 when La Pulga lifted the Copa America, his first senior trophy with La Albiceleste.
Since then, the Argentinean has been on a roll. He won the Finalissima the following year before lifting the World Cup in December 2022. The Inter Miami man also won the Copa America this summer.
Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo will now have their eyes on the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The mega event set to be hosted in Canada, Mexico, and the US could be their swansong.