Ronaldinho's Emotional Tribute to Messi: 'Enjoy Life, Brother'

Brazilian legend Ronaldinho has paid a heartfelt tribute to Lionel Messi following the Argentina captain's international farewell, saying it was 'a pleasure and a joy' to be part of his story from day one and telling his former Barcelona teammate: 'Enjoy life, brother.'

The tribute in full

As the tributes to Lionel Messi poured in from every corner of the football world following his international retirement, few carried the weight of history quite like the one from Ronaldinho. The 2002 World Cup winner and Barcelona icon took to X in the days after Messi's final Argentina appearance to honour the former teammate he once mentored — and who went on to eclipse him as the game's greatest.

'What a pleasure and a joy it has been to be part of your story since day one, brother!' Ronaldinho wrote. 'You made us smile and enjoy football so much!!! Your name is etched in the history of your country and the entire world.'

The message, shared widely across the football world, was the most personal yet from a former teammate of Messi's first era — the era before the records, the Ballon d'Ors and the trophies, when a teenage Argentine was still finding his feet at Camp Nou under Ronaldinho's wing.

'Only we know the joy'

Ronaldinho's tribute drew a deliberate parallel between the two careers, bound together by the one achievement that defines both. 'Only we know the joy we felt fulfilling our childhood dream: representing our nation and becoming world champions!!!!' he wrote.

That shared thread runs deep. Ronaldinho was the star of the Brazil side that won the 2002 World Cup; Messi, two decades later, finally lifted the trophy with Argentina in Qatar in 2022 before leading his country to the final again in 2026. Both men know what it means to carry a football-mad nation on their shoulders — and what it costs.

'You gave your all for your national team and your country,' Ronaldinho continued, '... I understand you perfectly, and I know that anything involving family makes us rethink things... Enjoy life, brother. I wish you the best, today and always.'

The family behind the decision

The family reference in Ronaldinho's message lands with particular weight. Messi announced his retirement from international duty on 31 August 2026, just weeks after the death of his father and agent, Jorge Messi — the man who had guided his career from Rosario to the summit of world football.

Those close to the Argentina captain have long said that family has shaped his biggest decisions, and Ronaldinho's words suggest the Brazilian understands that better than most. 'I understand you perfectly,' he wrote, acknowledging that the hardest goodbyes in football are rarely about football at all.

It was, in the end, Messi's final bow at the Estadio Monumental that provided the stage for the farewell — a 3-0 friendly victory over Benin on 6 October 2026, in front of a sold-out crowd that never stopped singing his name.

The final bow at the Monumental

Messi's 208th and last Argentina appearance had everything a farewell could ask for. Playing the full 90 minutes in what was billed as the 'last tango', he contributed to all three goals in the victory over Benin — teeing up Nicolás Otamendi's opener from a corner, setting up the second, and then completing a storybook night by scoring his 126th and final international goal from the penalty spot.

It was the perfect full stop on a 21-year international career that delivered the 2022 World Cup, two Copa América titles and the love of a nation that once doubted him. From the minute-10 ovation that rolled around the Monumental to the tearful farewell speech after the final whistle, the night belonged to him entirely. No wonder the tributes kept coming long after the final whistle.

A chorus of goodbyes

Ronaldinho's message joined a remarkable outpouring of respect from across football. Cristiano Ronaldo, Messi's great rival of two decades, posted his own tribute on Instagram, writing that Messi's was 'a history that will last forever'. Neymar, who played alongside Messi at Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain, thanked him for 'making me love football even more' and added: 'It isn't just Argentina that thanks you; the world thanks you for everything you've done for football.'

From inside the Argentina camp, Rodrigo De Paul and Ángel Di María led the emotional farewells, with Di María saying that seeing Messi 'so happy and at peace, knowing that he gave everything he had, makes all of us happy too'. Barcelona, his former club, added its own tribute, praising a career that made Argentina's shirt 'even more iconic' — while Boca Juniors, Independiente and San Lorenzo sent messages of thanks from across Argentine football.

But the Ronaldinho message stands apart. It comes not from a rival or a modern teammate, but from the man who was there at the very beginning — the first genius who looked at a quiet teenager from Rosario and saw what was coming.

What made Ronaldinho's message resonate most was where it came from. Argentina-Brazil is the fiercest rivalry in world football, yet here was a Brazilian legend — a World Cup winner with the Seleção — speaking to an Argentine icon with the tenderness of an older brother. If anything proved how far Messi's greatness travelled beyond borders, it was this: the one man who had no business saluting an Albiceleste legend did it most beautifully of all.

What comes next for Messi

Messi's retirement from international football closes one chapter, but the story is not finished. His club career continues with Inter Miami in Major League Soccer, where he remains one of the league's biggest stars and a genuine contender for honours.

For now, though, the football world is content simply to applaud. In the words of Ronaldinho — the man who knew him first, and who understands better than anyone what it means to leave the national stage behind — it is time for Messi to enjoy life. The best, today and always.

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