Lionel Messi Exits To A Nation's Love. Cristiano Ronaldo Left With Questions

Lionel Messi got a hero's farewell. Cristiano Ronaldo, meanwhile, has rarely looked more alone.© AFP

Lionel Messi soaked in the entire moment standing in the middle as the Monumental rose to applaud its national hero for one final time in Argentine colours. More than 85,000 spectators stood up to applaud the eight-time Ballon d'Or winner, who didn't just play with football's geometry, he literally bent it. It was a moment that even brought tears to his teammate Enzo Fernandez's eyes, who was seen sobbing like a child amid the tribute. In contrast, Messi's long-time rival Cristiano Ronaldo is facing an early exit from the national team after a recent fallout with the manager.

For the majority of their careers, Ronaldo and Messi matched each other for almost every individual footballing record and accolade.

Ronaldo and Jesus were all smiles less than three weeks ago when the manager announced his first squad since taking over the national team job from Roberto Martinez after the World Cup.

Jesus, before Portugal's opener of their Nations League title defence, had publicly praised Ronaldo in front of a packed media box, calling the 41-year-old someone who embodies the spirit of Portuguese football.

Fast forward to October 8, and the player and the manager, who were together at Al-Nassr and helped the club end its league-title drought, have polarised Portuguese football in the space of just a few weeks.

Ronaldo, in his viral public statement, accused the manager of forcing him to watch the entire game from the bench despite asking him to warm up during Portugal's 4-2 win over Denmark in Copenhagen. Things are believed to have gone from bad to worse following Ronaldo's social media remarks, with none of his teammates publicly liking or reacting to his post.

Given that the post has garnered more than 18 million likes on Instagram, the silence from Ronaldo's teammates could, it is safe to say, be worth a thousand words. The apparent silence from his teammates could mean that the Portuguese captain, the national team's all-time leading scorer, is, more than ever, on his own.

Given the reception Messi got on his final appearance, the situation surrounding Ronaldo seems more heartbreaking for Ronaldo, and even more so for his millions of admirers.

For now, Ronaldo faces two questions: whether to move on or watch a career-defining chapter end in circumstances few could have imagined.

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