Sports

Messi bids Argentina farewell after final international match

Argentine fans said goodbye to Lionel Messi after his last match for the national team, in an atmosphere of tears, gratitude and pride. The match closes an international career of more than two decades, highlighted by a World Cup title and a Copa América win. According to CNN Arabic, Cristiano Ronaldo sent Messi a farewell message after the game.

BBC عربيWednesday, October 7, 2026, 19:36Covered by 4 sources

Illustrative photo: Football stadium at night under floodlights with stands full of spectators. Photo by Howard Bouchevereau on Unsplash

Why it matters

The farewell closes one of the most prominent chapters in modern football, and Messi has a large following across the Arab world. It also raises questions about the future of his long-time rival Cristiano Ronaldo with Portugal, which Sky News Arabia described as uncertain.

Background

Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo are among the best-known footballers of recent decades, and the two have long been compared with each other. Argentina's national team is often nicknamed "the Tango" in Arabic-language media, and Messi is widely regarded as one of its most prominent players.

Key points

BBC Arabic's headline said the match combined tears, goals and chants, and called it "the last tango".
CNN Arabic described Ronaldo's farewell words to Messi as "moving".
According to RT Arabic, Messi announced his retirement from international football and sent a "farewell" message, which Ronaldo commented on.
Sky News Arabia reported that uncertainty surrounds Ronaldo's future with Portugal.

How outlets covered it

All four outlets agreed on the core fact: Messi played his last international match for Argentina. BBC Arabic focused on the mood of the farewell and his achievements with the national team, while CNN Arabic and RT Arabic highlighted Ronaldo's reaction. CNN described his words as "moving", and RT said he commented on Messi's "farewell" message. Sky News Arabia linked Messi's departure to Ronaldo's future with Portugal, saying it remains uncertain. The texts provided show no disagreement over figures or facts among the outlets.