As Lionel Messi prepares to get a hero’s farewell for his successful international career, Cristiano Ronaldo’s could have ended with him running down the tunnel at the final whistle of a game he did not play.
After the World Cup, Argentina’s Messi, 39, decided to retire from international football, while Ronaldo, 41, opted to play on for Portugal.
Yet there is the possibility that Messi’s Argentina career will end up lasting a few days longer – with a home friendly with Benin Republic today in Buenos-Aires marked as his final game.
Ronaldo, furious at being made to warm up and not be brought on against Norway in the Nations League, walked out on the Portugal squad after finding out he would not start against Denmark either.
The Al-Nassr forward has scored 146 goals and won 234 caps for Portugal – both world records.
After such a high-profile falling-out with new boss Jorge Jesus, also a larger than life character who does not back down, Ronaldo is facing a big decision.
Jesus has insisted he would be welcome back if he wants to return and talks between Ronaldo, his representatives and the Portuguese FA are ongoing as they look for a solution.
While Ronaldo could not carry on playing forever, this is not how he would have expected his international career to end.