Cristiano Ronaldo's illustrious international career with Portugal ultimately came to an acrimonious end, a far cry from the celebrated farewell enjoyed by his great rival Lionel Messi.

Messi also retired from international football this year, but only after leading Argentina to consecutive World Cup finals, bringing an extraordinary chapter of his career to a fitting close.

As they have throughout their record-breaking careers, comparisons between the two greatest players of their generation, and arguably of all time, are inevitable.

Ronaldo's emotional video message announcing his retirement on Thursday offered a poignant farewell, but it followed a bitter dispute with Portugal coach Jorge Jesus that prompted the Manchester United and Real Madrid great to walk out of what proved to be his final international call-up.

He was subsequently fined and suspended. Although both punishments were largely symbolic, particularly the $285 fine, they cast an unfortunate shadow over the closing chapter of a career in which Ronaldo guided Portugal to three major trophies and became the leading goal scorer in men's international football.

Compare that with Messi, whose enduring importance to Argentina was evident right to the end as he reached new heights at the World Cup, briefly becoming the tournament's all-time leading goal scorer and carrying his country to the brink of back-to-back titles.

At 39, with eight goals and four assists, Messi trailed only Kylian Mbappe in goal contributions. Statistically, it was Messi's best World Cup and reflected the remarkable form he produced toward the end of his international career, winning three major titles from the age of 34.

Based on his World Cup performances, it could be argued that Messi still had more to give and could have continued playing through the 2028 Copa America.

Ronaldo's retirement, at 41, has felt like a long time coming.

His international career looked all but over as far back as the 2022 World Cup, when he was dropped and his replacement, Gonçalo Ramos, appeared to usher in a new generation by immediately scoring a hat trick.

While Ronaldo fought on, setting new scoring records and leading Portugal to a second Nations League title last year, he was unable to match Messi's enduring brilliance on the biggest stage.

After his underwhelming World Cup in Qatar, Ronaldo failed to score during Portugal's run to the quarterfinals of the 2024 European Championship and was left in tears on the field after missing an extra-time penalty earlier in the tournament.

Although he became the first player to score at six different World Cups during this year's tournament in the United States, Canada and Mexico, much of the debate surrounding Portugal centered on whether he should remain an automatic starter.

His later tournaments have felt like a tinderbox, with cameras seemingly always waiting for a reaction whenever he is substituted or left out of the starting lineup. At a time when Portugal has a golden generation of players, the constant focus on Ronaldo has felt like a distraction.

"But it's always like that," he said in June. "... When things go well, 'Cristiano is good'; when things go bad, 'Cristiano is a retired player, is old.' It will always be like that."

That debate continued after the World Cup, and Ronaldo was infuriated when he was asked to warm up during a Nations League game against Norway in September but remained an unused substitute.

He walked out on the team and later released a statement claiming he had been told he would play 30 minutes and that Jesus had gone back on his word. Ronaldo then wanted Jesus to acknowledge his "mistake" during a news conference, but the coach declined, prompting his star player to walk out on the team.

Regardless of the legitimacy of Ronaldo's complaint, his reaction, including sharing intimate details with his nearly 700 million Instagram followers, became another unwanted distraction for the national team.

With little to separate their club careers, Messi has won more Ballon d'Or awards while Ronaldo has won more Champions League titles, their international achievements have become a key measure in the debate over who is the greatest of all time.

Messi's late flourish with Argentina has given him the edge over Ronaldo in that regard, after years in which the Portuguese star had the upper hand.

Portugal's triumph at Euro 2016 set Ronaldo apart from Messi, who had to wait until 2021 to win his first major title with Argentina, the Copa America, and had briefly retired from the national team in 2016.

The 2022 World Cup in Qatar saw Messi emulate another Argentine great, Diego Maradona, by leading his country to football's biggest prize, the one trophy that had eluded Ronaldo.

Another Copa America title followed in 2024, and the Inter Miami star came within touching distance of a second World Cup, losing to Spain in July's final.

His outstanding performances at consecutive World Cups have brought even greater attention to Ronaldo's struggles. The increasingly negative narrative surrounding the Portuguese star at major tournaments has also unfairly cast a shadow over one of the greatest international careers.

Ronaldo's three major titles, one European Championship and two Nations League trophies, match Messi's tally, at least in terms of numbers.

He scored a record 146 goals in 234 appearances, compared with Messi's 126 in 208 matches.

Both have been icons for their countries for more than two decades and leave a void in international football that may not be fully appreciated until the next World Cup in four years.

Last month, practically all of Argentina watched as Messi played in a farewell match billed as "the last tango."

The Portuguese Football Federation said it intends to organize a tribute to Ronaldo "in which the fans and the country can one more time applaud and celebrate a player who has given us so much."

For now, their club careers continue.

For Ronaldo, one significant milestone remains in sight: his 1,000th career goal. He currently sits on 985, a figure he could reach before the end of the season.

In international football, however, that chapter is closed.

"I spent my life working to become the best player in the world," Ronaldo said at the end. "Today I realize that my greatest victory was earning the honor of representing the best country in the world."