- By Samannay Sen
- Tue, 01 Sep 2026 02:52 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
- The Lionel Messi vs Cristiano Ronaldo GOAT debate has once again taken centre stage.
- Cristiano Ronaldo has scored 146 goals for the Portugal national team.
- Messi expressed his gratitude to everyone who accompanied him throughout his international career.
The Lionel Messi vs Cristiano Ronaldo GOAT debate has once again taken centre stage, with renowned broadcaster Piers Morgan delivering a fresh verdict after Messi announced his retirement from international football.
Morgan, who has consistently backed Ronaldo in the long-running debate, has once again declared the Portuguese superstar the greatest footballer of all time. This time, however, he believes one particular stat has finally settled the argument on international goals.
The broadcaster has previously picked Ronaldo as his choice for the GOAT despite Messi holding the edge in several statistical categories and winning major individual and team honours throughout his career.
However, following Messi's decision to retire from international football, Morgan took to X and pointed towards the difference in their international goal tallies as the deciding factor.
In his post, Morgan highlighted Messi's 125 goals for Argentina while pointing out that Ronaldo has scored 146 times for Portugal, the highest international tally in men's football.
His post read: "Breaking: Lionel Messi retires from international football, after scoring 125 goals for the Argentina national team, placing him second on the list of highest international goalscorers."
Morgan futher added: "Cristiano Ronaldo has scored 146 goals for the Portugal national team, the highest figure in the history of football at the international level. This settles the debate over who is the best player in history."
Lionel Messi Announces International Retirement
Messi's international retirement announcement has added another emotional chapter to an extraordinary career with Argentina.
The eight-time Ballon d'Or winner took to social media to share a heartfelt message with his supporters, thanking his family, teammates, coaches and fans for their support throughout his journey with the national team.
Messi wrote on social media, "Thank you for all the love during these 20 years. I'm going to miss hearing you from the inside. Now I'll be one of you, always supporting from the outside, in the good times and even more in the bad ones."
The Argentine legend also expressed his gratitude towards everyone who accompanied him throughout his international career.
"Thank you to my family for always being there and for being with me throughout this beautiful but difficult journey. Thank you to every coach, teammate and director I had the chance to share it with. I take with me unforgettable memories and moments," Messi added.
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He concluded his emotional message by embracing his Argentine identity, writing:
"Thank you God for making me Argentine. Vamos Argentina!"
Messi vs Ronaldo: The GOAT Debate Continues
While Morgan believes Ronaldo's superior international goal tally settles the GOAT debate, the argument between the two modern-day greats is a never ending topic.
While Messi fans believe the superior Ballon d'Or count as well as the World Cup glory makes him better, Ronaldo fans are still ambitious on various other records, the Poruguese superstar is ahead.