Ronaldo's Records Secure After Messi's International Retirement

Following Lionel Messi's retirement from international football after Argentina's 3-0 victory over Benin, Cristiano Ronaldo's records remain intact and unchallenged. Messi concluded his Argentina career with 208 appearances and 126 goals, while Ronaldo holds the record for international appearances with 234 caps and has scored 146 goals for Portugal.

Messi's retirement means he can no longer close the gap in these statistics. Ronaldo also leads in the number of different national teams scored against, with 49, compared to Messi's 46.

Additionally, Ronaldo made history at the 2026 World Cup by becoming the first player to score in six different editions of the tournament, while Messi scored in five. Messi's final goal came from a penalty against Benin, leaving him 20 goals behind Ronaldo in the international scoring charts.