Jose Mourinho has paid tribute to Barcelona icon Lionel Messi after the Argentine superstar announced his retirement from international football, acknowledging the end of an era for the Albiceleste.Me...
With Lionel Messi announcing his retirement from Argentina national team, Cristiano Ronaldo's record of goals against most different national teams will be without contention. Lionel Messi‘s retirement from Argentina national team dropped a massive bombshell across global soccer, leaving fans stunned following his unexpected announcement. However, the timing also cements a historic benchmark for Cristiano Ronaldo, whose record for goals scored against the most unique national teams now stands permanently out of reach for his long-time rival. Both Messi and Ronaldo dominated the global stage for over two decades at both the club level and as iconic international captains for Argentina and Portugal, becoming the all-time leading scorers for their respective countries. The Argentine made his debut for the Albiceleste in 2005 before concluding his international career in 2026, while Ronaldo debuted in 2003 and remains active, torturing defenses across the international calendar. Heading into his final World Cup campaign having scored against 41 different national teams, Messi expanded his victim list with Argentina by adding a brace against Austria, a set-piece strike against Jordan, and goals against Cape Verde and Egypt. With an international break approaching in September and October, Messi had an opportunity to push his tally even higher, but his decision to step down closes his ledger permanently. In total, Lionel Messi scored 125 international goals for Argentina against 45 different national teams worldwide, with Bolivia serving as his most frequent target with 11 goals. Lionel Messi #10 of Argentina celebrates with Julian Alvarez #9 after scoring against Egypt. To put that accomplishment into context, FIFA currently recognizes 211 member associations worldwide, a figure exceeding total membership in the United Nations (193). Under that standard, Messi scored against nearly a quarter of FIFA’s total global membership, specifically finding the net against 21 percent of all affiliated nations. Cristiano Ronaldo holds the record outright With 233 caps for Portugal, Cristiano Ronaldo stands as the all-time leading goalscorer in men’s international football history with 146 goals for Selecao. Competing continuously across European Qualifiers, UEFA European Championships, Nations League fixtures, and World Cups allowed the Portuguese forward to accumulate an even wider array of national opponents. In total, Cristiano Ronaldo has scored against 49 different national teams, holding a four-nation lead over Lionel Messi. His most recent addition to the list came against Uzbekistan at the World Cup where he netted twice, while Luxembourg remains Ronaldo’s most frequent victim with 11 goals. List of nations Lionel Messi scored against AlbaniaAlgeriaAngolaAustraliaAustriaBoliviaBosnia and HerzegovinaBrazilCanadaCape VerdeChileColombiaCroatiaCuracaoEcuadorEgyptEstoniaFranceGermanyGuatemalaHaitiHondurasHong KongIcelandIranJamaicaJordanMexicoNetherlandsNicaraguaNigeriaPanamaParaguayPeruPortugalSaudi ArabiaSerbia and MontenegroSloveniaSpainSwitzerlandUnited Arab EmiratesUnited StatesUruguayVenezuelaZambia List of nations Cristiano Ronaldo scored against AndorraArgentinaArmeniaAzerbaijanBelgiumBosnia and HerzegovinaCameroonCroatiaCyprusCzechiaDenmarkEcuadorEgyptEstoniaFaroe IslandsFinlandFranceGermanyGhanaGreeceHungaryIcelandIranIsraelKazakhstanLatviaLiechtensteinLithuaniaLuxembourgMoroccoNetherlandsNew ZealandNorthern IrelandNorth KoreaPanamaPolandQatarRepublic of IrelandRussiaSaudi ArabiaScotlandSerbiaSlovakiaSpainSwedenSwitzerlandUkraineUzbekistanWales
With Lionel Messi putting his international career to rest and his stats finalized, comparisons with Diego Maradona have begun to arise. Lionel Messi and Diego Maradona established legacies as the two defining figures in Argentina national team history and two of the greatest athletes to ever play any sport. Now that Messi has officially announced his retirement from international duty, debate comparing the two iconic number 10s and their respective legacies has reignited across global sports media. On Monday, August 31, Lionel Messi formally announced his retirement from the Argentina national team via an Instagram statement, delivering a decision that caught fans worldwide off guard. Drafting the letter two days following the 2026 World Cup final against Spain, the forward revealed that the passing of his father weighed heavily on his choice to step away. While Maradona carried Argentina to the summit of global soccer while capturing the imagination of millions, Messi emerged as his heir apparent just a few years after Maradona’s playing days ended. Though the two aligned as manager and player at the 2010 World Cup, their statistical profiles across their international careers present striking contrasts. Maradona and Messi stats for Argentina Debuting in 1977 and stepping down 17 years later in 1994, Diego Maradona earned 91 caps for the Argentina national team, recording 34 goals and 26 assists. In contrast, Lionel Messi’s international tenure spanned nearly 21 full years from 2005 to 2026, amassing 207 appearances while tallying 125 goals and 57 assists. Diego Maradona of Argentina in action during a match. (Allsport UK) While trailing Messi in raw goals and assists, Maradona captured the heart of the nation with his transcendent run at the 1986 World Cup in Mexico, considered by many the finest individual performance in tournament history. He immortalized his name during a legendary quarterfinal performance against England, scoring both the “Hand of God” and the “Goal of the Century.“ Hardware comparisons remain a central pillar of the debate, with Maradona claiming two major international trophies to Messi’s four. Maradona lifted the 1986 World Cup and added the 1930 Artemio Franchi Cup in 1993, though a doping suspension kept him out of Argentina’s winning 1991 and 1993 Copa America squads. Conversely, Lionel Messi collected four major senior titles with the Albiceleste, capturing the 2021 Copa America, the 2022 Finalissima, the 2022 FIFA World Cup, and the 2024 Copa America. Both icons also claimed a FIFA U-20 World Cup title early in their careers (Maradona in 1979, Messi in 2005), while the Inter Miami star added a 2008 Olympic gold medal to his portfolio. PlayerGamesGoalsAssistsTitlesDiego Maradona9134262Lionel Messi207125574 Maradona and Messi’s career in the World Cup The World Cup served as the ultimate stage where both Argentine legends cemented their standing among the sport’s greatest figures. Leading the Albiceleste across two distinct eras, their impact on the tournament proved incalculable in both cases. Diego Maradona featured in four World Cups between 1982 and 1994, debuting at Spain 1982 where Argentina exited in the second group stage. At Mexico 1986, he produced a legendary tournament performance with five goals and five assists, followed by a gutted run to the 1990 final in Italy despite playing through injury, before a drug test failure cut short his final appearance at USA 1994. Lionel Messi appeared in six World Cup tournaments, the most by any player in Argentine history. His journey began at Germany 2006 with one goal, followed by South Africa 2010 with Diego Maradona in the dugout, which marked the only World Cup campaign of his career in which he failed to find the back of the net. Diego Maradona head coach of Argentina alongside Lionel Messi. (Ezra Shaw/Getty Images) Brazil 2014 brought heartbreak as Messi scored four goals and added an assist before falling to Germany in the final. After a b
With Lionel Messi announcing his retirement from the Argentina national team, fans are wondering how his numbers compare to Cristiano Ronaldo's on the international stage. Lionel Messi will no longer play for Argentina. His retirement from international football has prompted fans to compare his national team career with that of Cristiano Ronaldo. On Monday, Messi shocked the football world by confirming his retirement from the Argentina national team. He made the decision two days after Argentina’s 2026 World Cup final loss, with the recent passing of his father sealing his choice. At 39 years old, Messi steps away after reaching the pinnacle of international success with Argentina. Now, attention turns to how much longer Cristiano Ronaldo will continue playing for Portugal in what marks the closing chapter of a legendary era in football. Lionel Messi vs. Cristiano Ronaldo: International career numbers Lionel Messi made his senior debut for Argentina on August 17, 2005, at the age of 18. Throughout his international career, he earned 207 caps and scored 125 goals for La Albiceleste. Ver esta publicación en Instagram Una publicación compartida por Leo Messi (@leomessi) By comparison, Cristiano Ronaldo made his senior debut for Portugal on August 20, 2003. He has since compiled 233 appearances and scored 146 goals for his country. While Ronaldo leads in appearances and goals, Messi holds the advantage in playmaking. The Argentine superstar registered 68 assists for his country, compared to Ronaldo’s 45. In terms of silverware, Messi also holds the edge over Ronaldo. The Argentine forward claimed four senior trophies with his country, whereas Ronaldo has won three with Portugal. Messi also won two youth international titles with Argentina early in his career.
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