Lionel Messi hinted at retirement through an Instagram video celebrating his career, while Cristiano Ronaldo faced fan backlash over his lowered FC 27 rating. Both stars’ futures remain uncertain as their historic rivalry enters a new chapter.
Messi’s Retirement Hints and Ronaldo’s Legacy Showdown
A blow was dealt to Cristiano Ronaldo in his international retirement video
Lionel Messi recently reignited retirement speculation with an Instagram video reflecting on his 20-year international career, featuring a fictional bar bill that listed his achievements and declared the debate over the best ever is settled. The post marked his first public acknowledgment of the decades-long debate with Cristiano Ronaldo over who is the greatest. The video, posted on Instagram, showed Messi in a bar where the bill included his six World Cup participations, records he broke, and individual awards he won. The bill concluded with the text: The debate over the best ever is settled. This marked the first time Messi directly addressed the rivalry with Ronaldo, who has long been his chief competitor for the title of football’s greatest. Meanwhile, Ronaldo’s recent comments about his potential final season with Al-Nassr, including a Vogue interview stating, This is probably my last year of football, and I want to leave a spectacular legacy, added to the uncertainty surrounding his future.
FC 27 Controversy and Fan Backlash
The release of FC 27 sparked outrage among fans after Cristiano Ronaldo’s in-game rating dropped significantly, despite his 30-goal 2025/26 season in Saudi Arabia. The report highlighted social media reactions, with one user calling the rating a joke and another criticizing the disrespect shown to Ronaldo. Fans pointed to his 67 pace stat—lower than Messi’s—arguing it failed to capture his on-field impact, including a World Cup goal featuring a really good run that defied his perceived speed. The controversy underscored the tension between real-world performance and video game representation. Ronaldo’s FC 26 card had a base gold rating of 85, with 76 pace, 88 shooting, 76 passing, 80 dribbling, 34 defending, and 76 physicality. In FC 27, his stats were reduced, with fans noting the 9 pace slower than Messi and calling the changes the funniest company ever. One fan wrote, Hahaha 67 pace, what a joke, while another tweeted, A fan said, It’s insane that I had a better year and season than Messi but he gets a +3 while I get downgraded. Ronaldo fans will be able to play with his new card from September 25 when FC 27 is released to everyone, or from September 18 if they have early access.
Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi are talking about retirement
The Unfinished Rivalry: A New Era Without the Giants?
The rivalry between Messi and Ronaldo, which shaped global football for 15 years, is entering uncharted territory. They played 36 competitive matches against each other, sharing almost 3,000 minutes on the pitch. Their battles in La Liga turned El Clasico into a must-watch global event between 2009 and 2018, and they challenged each other to break records. La Liga became an annual proxy war for the Ballon d’Or, a title they shared equally for 10 unbroken years—until Messi added another three in the twilight of his career. The latest came in 2023, when Messi was an Inter Miami player. However, the longevity of Messi’s genius has upended the narrative of the previous two decades. By leading Argentina to two Copa America titles and the World Cup in 2022, he ticked off the only remaining boxes in his career. Before then, Ronaldo’s Euro 2016 triumph and league trophies in England, Spain, and Italy had afforded weight to the argument he was the more complete, more adaptable force. These triumphs, underlined by more mesmerizing moments at this summer’s World Cup, have reframed the debate. It is no longer Messi vs. Ronaldo. It is Messi and everyone else.
Messi’s Father’s Death and Ronaldo’s Reflections
What a joke
Messi’s future remains uncertain following the death of his father, Jorge, this month. Jorge had overseen Messi’s career since he brokered the trial at Barcelona, serving as his inspiration. Shorn of that connection, the reasons for continuing are harder to find. Messi expressed his grief on social media, writing, You were by my side from the beginning; there was so little left until the end. Why couldn’t you hold on just a little longer so we could finish it together? He added, I don’t know what I’m going to do without you. I don’t know how to carry on. I used to just play football, and now I’m really not sure if I’ll carry on doing it for much longer. In contrast, Ronaldo, 41, has expressed a sense of closure. After a meek last-16 exit to Spain, he said, I’ve given my best. I’ve won three titles for Portugal. Before Cristiano, we hadn’t won any, referring to himself in the third-person. He added, The biggest title I won with the national team was in 2016 which, for me, has the same value. That’s what I repeat: I leave with a clear conscience. Ronaldo’s comments suggest a readiness to retire, though his Al-Nassr contract and potential return to Portugal could alter that timeline.
Legacy and the Final Chapter
Ronaldo’s legacy is defined by almost 1,000 goals and records for most international games and goals. Messi’s legacy includes eight Ballons d’Or, a record 91 goals in a calendar year, and the most European Golden Boots. The choice of final destination—where they would hang up their boots—was a bet on their legacy. Ronaldo, meanwhile, has hinted at a post-football life, mentioning padel and his upcoming wedding. I have my future all mapped out. I have so many things to keep me busy that to tell you just one thing is hard. Because football could leave a big hole, you have to fill your time in various ways, not just one, he said. For Messi, the absence of his father has left a void, but his contract with Inter Miami runs until 2028, leaving his future open. As their rivalry fades, the sport’s focus shifts to younger stars, though the impact of their 15-year duel will endure.
