Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo and the story of a final whistle

New Delhi: The jersey reveal, the golden lettering, the drones in the sky, the tears in the crowd, the emotions on social media and everyone in the stadium at Buenos Aires, including Argentina manager Lionel Scaloni, asking Lionel Messi to stay on.

Across the Atlantic, during a Nations League match against Norway, Portugal manager Jorge Jesus left their legend Cristiano Ronaldo, the 41-year-old captain, as an unused substitute. Ronaldo, upset by the decision, walked out of the Portugal national team and left Copenhagen before the game where they beat Denmark. No one asking him to stay. No tears being shed. Not yet.

Two players, two of the greatest ever, two who defined an era, two who inspired a generation and each other. One would have imagined that they would both receive a similar send-off, one attending the other’s even, but it could not have played out differently.

Part of it perhaps comes down to what they are producing on the field. In his final match, a farewell ode, Messi scored a goal and created two others as Argentina won 3-0 against Benin. It was much the same during the World Cup too – between his long walks on the field were spurts of unstoppable brilliance. Eight goals and four assists are a stunning return for a 39-year-old seemingly ending his career.

Ronaldo, despite his ‘I’m back’ statement during the World Cup, hasn’t been anywhere close to his best for a while. He scored three goals (two against Uzbekistan and one penalty against Croatia) at the World Cup, but the movement and the touch... it all seems to be in a freefall. It is surprising perhaps that Ronaldo is blind to it all. He may still come back but one hopes he does not for he’s better than this. And perhaps his legacy deserves better than this.

Greatness understands greatness. The things that set them apart, the things that make them special. In Messi’s play, we still see that. He isn’t as quick or strong as he once was but he picks his moments. But Ronaldo looks lost – still searching for his old self when he and the team need something different.

So how did it get to this?

A common saying among many sportspeople is “athletes die twice” – once when they retire and again at their death. So, a decision to let go is never an easy one.

Just put yourself in their shoes. Imagine spending all of your time perfecting your craft, becoming the best in the world at something. It can be all-consuming. It can almost feel like an obsession.

Then, in your 30s or 40s, you have to walk away and start fresh at life, life that isn’t all about training runs, the gym and the game. Life that doesn’t fall into a system.

The legendary US swimmer Michael Phelps struggled after deciding to retire at the age of 31.

“I don’t think there’s been much help for when an athlete retires,” he said in 2018. “When we’re done it’s kind of like we’re just moved along or brushed aside because there’s somebody else that’s coming up.”

Many former sportspeople report a loss of identity after retiring and struggle to move on in life. The struggle to find a new purpose, as it was in Phelps’ case, can lead to more serious problems such as depression, self-harm, addiction and financial problems.

“The biggest thing I felt was a loss of identity and purpose,” said Kelly Holmes, the British double Olympic champion who retired in 2005. “Suddenly the structure, the people you call on, it all goes. But with no idea of what you want to do and who you want to be and that’s a really lonely place and I got quite depressed around that time.”

And retirement can be like a grieving process. It takes time. Messi has been through this before and perhaps now it feels like a natural ending to him. To Ronaldo, however, the ending isn’t as clear yet.

But just as they have inspired each other over the course of their decorated careers, maybe Messi’s last act might help Ronaldo see the light too. Or maybe the Portuguese superstar has a different ending in mind.