Lionel Messi has announced his retirement from international football, with an upcoming friendly against Benin marking his final appearance for Argentina. This decision allows him to focus solely on Inter Miami, where he has been in exceptional form, scoring 34 goals and providing 17 assists in 39 games in 2026. His former teammates Jordi Alba and Sergio Busquets retired last season, and Javier Mascherano departed as manager.

Meanwhile, Cristiano Ronaldo continues his international career with Portugal under Jorge Jesus, aiming for another Nations League title. However, his club form for Al-Nassr has seen a slower start to the 2026-27 Saudi Pro League campaign, with 22 goals and one assist in 36 appearances. Messi has significantly outperformed Ronaldo in goal contributions this year, despite Ronaldo's pursuit of a thousand career goals.