Piers Morgan used Lionel Messi’s decision to retire from international football as another opportunity to clearly express his opinions regarding the best player debate.
After 207 appearances and 125 goals throughout his incredible 21-year international career, the Argentine legend said that he will finally hang his nation’s jersey on Monday. Messi, who has finally turned a career that was once characterised by international disappointment into one of unparalleled triumph, departs the Argentina setup as his nation’s record appearance maker and top scorer.
The 39-year-old made his decision following a challenging time in his personal and professional life. After Argentina’s 2014 World Cup final loss to Germany, Messi suffered his second World Cup final heartbreak as Spain defeated Argentina in the 2026 final. His father, Jorge Messi, passed just a few weeks later at the age of 68.
Morgan Reignites GOAT Debate
But for Morgan, Messi’s exit from the global scene was more than just the end of an era. It gave further evidence to support the claim that Cristiano Ronaldo is the best football player in history. The presenter said that Messi’s retirement had essentially resolved the long-running dispute in his friend’s favour and cited Ronaldo’s record 146 international goals for Portugal.
“Breaking: quits international football having scored 125 goals for Argentina, the second-highest number in football history,” Morgan wrote on his ‘X’ account
“Ronaldo has scored 146 goals for Portugal, the highest in football history. This settles the GOAT debate,” he further added.
Given Morgan’s well-known closeness with Ronaldo, the statement can hardly be considered impartial, but it quickly went viral because Messi’s retirement has once again put the two careers in focus. At the international level, Ronaldo is 21 goals ahead of Messi, who concluded his Argentina career with 125 goals. Ronaldo has scored 146 goals for Portugal.
Ronaldo’s record is especially noteworthy because he continues to play at the top level for Portugal while maintaining his position as the top men’s international goalscorer. However, Messi’s international career provides plenty of evidence for those who disagree with him, while Morgan’s argument reduces one of football’s most complex arguments to a single statistical comparison.