Lionel Messi left international football with grace. Cristiano Ronaldo didn't...

Cristiano Ronaldo has retired from international football with Portugal, according to a Yahoo Sports/The Independent opinion piece published on November 5, 2026. Columnist Will Castle contrasts Ronaldo's drawn-out international exit unfavorably with Lionel Messi's retirement, arguing that Messi stepped away at the right time while Ronaldo continued playing and damaged his own legacy in the process. The article frames the departure as the final chapter in the long-running GOAT debate between the two footballing icons.