Cristiano Ronaldo vs Messi by the numbers: The ultimate stat breakdown

Cristiano Ronaldo officially stepped away from international soccer on Thursday, November 5, 2026.

He became the latest superstar to move to the next phase of his career.

Ronaldo played in his sixth World Cup over the Summer.

He made history alongside Lionel Messi as the two became the first players to appear in that many World Cups.

Messi then retired from international soccer following the tournament.

Now Ronaldo joins him in that venture.

The 41-year-old announced the decision with a video on social media.

In it, he read a letter to his fans, teammates and contemporaries.

Unsurprisingly, Ronaldo received a large number of tributes and honors from people and organizations that he impacted over his career.

"Thank you for the inspiration," Portugal teammate Bruno Fernandes said.

"It was a privilege to share great moments for our team with my childhood idol."

"It was a movie bro," former English star Rio Ferdinand added.

"Legend", Neymar commented.

"It was more than just football," former Portuguese defender Pepe mentioned.

"Thank you for everything, Cris."

Many institutions and organizations also chimed in to honor Ronaldo.

The star played for Manchester United, Sporting CP, Juventus, and Real Madrid.

A few of those teams had their share of tributes.

Ronaldo is a five-time Ballon d'Or winner.

He is the second-most-winning player in the award's history.

So, it's no surprise that the award gave Ronaldo a lengthy tribute.

Ronaldo is the most important player in Portuguese soccer history.

The Portuguese Football Federation wants to hold a major tribute for him coming soon.

Messi announced his retirement from the Argentina national squad in July.

La Albiceleste lost to Spain in the 2026 FIFA World Cup final.

He played his final match for Argentina on Oct. 7 in a 3-0 friendly win over Benin.

He scored a goal and assisted on two others.

The 41-year-old Ronaldo last played for Portugal on Sept. 24.

That was a 1-0 Nations League win over Wales.

Here is a comparison of accomplishments and goals between Messi and Ronaldo.

MESSI AND RONALDO BY THE NUMBERS

Messi: 208 appearances for Argentina.

Messi: 126 goals, 67 assists.

Messi: Olympic Gold Medal (2008).

Messi: FIFA World Cup (2022).

Messi: Copa América (2021, 2024).

Messi: Ballon d'Or (2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2019, 2021, 2023).