“The best in history is decided.” Messi’s coded message to Ronaldo

Argentine star Lionel Messi – of Inter Miami – has sparked widespread controversy on social media after he released a promotional video that many interpreted as a hidden message to his Portuguese rival Cristiano Ronaldo.

As part of the new advertising campaign, Messi published a groundbreaking video on his official Instagram platform in which he appeared as a report from a restaurant, but he turned it into a detailed list of his most notable achievements and numbers in the Argentina national team shirt.

‘Bill’ looks at his international numbers, including the number of goals he has scored, the number of assists he has made and the minutes he has played for his country, before moving on to a list of major trophies achieved during his international career.

His most notable achievements with Argentina top the list, notably winning the 2022 World Cup, the 2021 and 2024 Copa America and the 2022 Copa Final, in addition to a gold medal at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

The bill was not limited to numbers and titles, as it was also about the impact Messi left during his career with the national team, through the millions of fans he inspired during his years wearing the Argentina shirt.

But the phrase at the bottom of the “bill” was the most controversial, after the campaign ended with the phrase “the debate about the best in history is settled”.

The proposal has sparked speculation among football fans, particularly after it came in the context of a review of Messi’s international achievements, while Portuguese newspaper Apola saw the statement as a clear reference to Ronaldo, Messi’s most prominent rival in the race to be named the best player in football history.

The newspaper said Messi’s post had “caused a general uproar” after it signaled the end of the debate over who is the best in history.

Messi’s post came two days after he announced his retirement from international football with Argentina, ending a 21-year international career that began against Hungary in 2005 and ended with Spain in the 2026 World Cup final.

During his international career, Messi played 207 matches for Argentina, scoring 125 goals and providing 68 assists, according to transfer market website.

While Messi’s supporters believe those numbers and titles settle the argument in his favor, Ronaldo’s name is still firmly in the comparison, so Messi’s short phrase remains enough to fuel one of the most controversial rivalries in football history.