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Gary Lineker wants Ronaldo honored
Gary Winston Lineker compared Cristiano Ronaldo’s unsettled international future with Lionel Messi’s Argentina farewell on October 7, 2026. The former England striker spoke during the annual Leaders Week sports conference at Stamford Bridge in London.
Lineker scored 48 goals across 80 appearances for England. He said Ronaldo deserved a proper farewell comparable to Messi’s and hoped the Portuguese captain would eventually resolve his disagreement with national team coach Jorge Jesus.
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Lionel Messi finishes with a 3-0 victory
Lionel Messi played his final international match against Benin on October 6, 2026, at Monumental Stadium in Buenos Aires, Argentina. The 39-year-old captain scored a penalty and assisted twice in his team’s 3-0 friendly victory.
Nicolás Otamendi scored a header from Messi’s corner in the 48th minute. Nico Paz converted another pass in the 61st, before Argentina’s captain added his 126th international goal from the penalty spot 10 minutes later.
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Argentina fills the stadium for Messi
Argentina organized a formal national farewell around Lionel Messi’s 208th international appearance. More than 85,000 tickets sold out within 90 minutes, and some premium seats later appeared on online resale websites at prices exceeding $2,500.
Players from Argentina’s 1978, 1986, and 2022 World Cup-winning squads attended the special celebration. Supporters loudly sang Messi’s name, teammates applauded after the final whistle, and a large midfield banner called him their Eternal Captain.
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Cristiano Ronaldo congratulates Messi
Cristiano Ronaldo praised Lionel Messi on Instagram on October 7, following the Argentina captain’s retirement. Their long rivalry featured eight Ballon d’Or awards for the Argentine and five for the Portuguese forward throughout their careers.
Messi thanked his teammates, clubs, and supporters in a personal farewell message that also mentioned Argentina’s former captain Diego Maradona. Ronaldo responded with respect for his rival’s achievements and the history he created representing Argentina.
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Jorge Jesus replaces Roberto Martínez
Jorge Jesus became Portugal’s head coach in July 2026, succeeding Roberto Martínez after the Portuguese national team’s World Cup campaign. His appointment reunited the manager with Cristiano Ronaldo, whom he had previously coached at Al-Nassr.
Jesus had led the Riyadh club to its first Saudi Pro League title in seven years. Ronaldo described the 2026 tournament as his final World Cup but did not immediately announce his retirement from Portugal.
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Ronaldo starts against Wales in Lisbon
Cristiano Ronaldo started Portugal’s 1-0 home Nations League victory over Wales on September 24, 2026, at José Alvalade Stadium in Lisbon. João Félix scored the only goal in Jorge Jesus’s opening match as national coach.
Officials ruled out a Ronaldo effort for offside during the second half. Gonçalo Ramos replaced the captain in the 67th minute, with Jesus explaining that the substitute could apply more pressure on the Welsh defenders.
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Ronaldo stays on the bench in Oslo
Cristiano Ronaldo did not play during Portugal’s 2-1 victory over Norway in Oslo on September 27. The experienced forward warmed up extensively, but Jorge Jesus left him out of the entire match.
Gonçalo Ramos scored Portugal’s winning goal as the visitors collected three Nations League points. After the match, Ronaldo headed toward the tunnel instead of joining teammates in acknowledging Portuguese supporters who had traveled to Norway.
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Ronaldo questions a 30-minute promise
Cristiano Ronaldo said Jorge Jesus originally planned to rest him for the Norway and Denmark matches to manage his fitness. That arrangement allegedly changed when the coach asked whether the striker could play 30 minutes in Oslo.
Ronaldo said he accepted the proposed change and warmed up from halftime, expecting a brief appearance. The captain remained unused and later accused Jesus of breaking the agreement they had discussed before the Norway match.
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Ronaldo details an eight-point document
Cristiano Ronaldo said a prepared eight-point document outlined what Jorge Jesus would explain at an official news conference before Portugal played Denmark. The proposed remarks addressed his longstanding professionalism, tactical decisions, and the unused warmup.
One proposed statement said warming up a player of Pelé or Diego Maradona’s stature without using him was a mistake. Ronaldo claimed Jesus had ignored the previously agreed-upon wording, prompting his exit from Portugal’s training camp.
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Ronaldo apologizes to Portugal teammates
Cristiano Ronaldo publicly apologized on October 6 for leaving Portugal’s training camp before the Denmark match. He also acknowledged failing to greet traveling supporters in Oslo and accepted responsibility for his actions as national captain.
The forward said the Portuguese Football Federation should consider any appropriate punishment for his departure from the camp. He argued that wearing the captain’s armband increased his responsibility rather than providing protection from disciplinary consequences.
Fun fact: Gary Lineker played hundreds of professional soccer matches without receiving a single yellow or red card. Referees never booked him throughout his career.
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Portugal officials welcome Ronaldo’s return
Portuguese Football Federation president Pedro Proença publicly described the dispute involving Cristiano Ronaldo and Jorge Jesus as a misunderstanding on October 4. His remarks followed Portugal’s 2-1 Nations League victory over Norway that Sunday evening.
Jesus disputed Ronaldo’s description of their agreement but said the captain remained welcome to return to the national team. Federation officials acknowledged the forward’s lengthy service and expressed willingness to see him represent Portugal again.
sinenkiy/DepositphotosPortugal qualifies without Ronaldo
Portugal won four straight Nations League matches under Jorge Jesus, starting with a 1-0 result against Wales. The team then beat Norway 2-1 in both meetings and defeated Denmark 4-2, securing an early quarterfinal place.
Ronaldo missed the victories over Denmark on October 1 and Norway three days later. Gonçalo Ramos and other Portuguese attackers filled prominent roles as Portugal continued its winning run without the country’s leading international scorer.
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Dziurek/DepositphotosRonaldo remains available for Portugal
Cristiano Ronaldo remained available for future selection by Portugal following his October 6 statement, without announcing an international retirement. The 41-year-old forward holds national records of 146 goals and 234 appearances, subject to fitness and eligibility requirements.
Portugal is scheduled to host Denmark on November 14 and visit Wales three days later in Nations League play. Ronaldo promised supporters one or more farewell matches, but no specific arrangements had been officially confirmed.
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Should Cristiano Ronaldo receive a Portugal farewell like Lionel Messi’s Argentina tribute, or should his return depend on Jorge Jesus’s decisions? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
This slideshow was made with AI assistance and human editing.
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