Two icons, a glorious farewell and a potentially bitter ending

On a nighttime wherever 1 shot fable received a expansive farewell from his country, astir 6,000 miles away, different released a lengthy connection discussing each the ways successful which helium had been wronged by his nationalist squad coach.

Argentina large Lionel Messi took the adulation of the assemblage successful Buenos Aires arsenic his glittering planetary vocation ended with a extremity against Benin connected an affectional night.

Meanwhile, Portugal prima Cristiano Ronaldo released a statement connected societal media, accusing manager Jorge Jesus of an "absolute breach of trust" portion admitting helium should beryllium held accountable for his ain actions.

The erstwhile Manchester United and Real Madrid guardant near his country's Nations League campy past week aft being an unused substitute against Norway and past uncovering retired helium would not commencement against Denmark.

Portuguese writer Jose Delgado says "things volition ne'er beryllium the aforesaid again" for Ronaldo and Portugal - truthful is this the opening of the end?

Jesus has said the doorway is unfastened for Ronaldo to instrumentality to the nationalist team, but is it? Or volition this saga continue, perchance closing the publication connected the planetary vocation of 1 of the top players of each time?

BBC Sport takes a look astatine what could beryllium the extremity of the planetary careers of 2 shot greats.

The Ronaldo saga has been rumbling connected for immoderate time, with galore fans captious of erstwhile Portugal brag Roberto Martinez's insistence connected starting Ronaldo astatine this summer's World Cup.

At 41 years old, Ronaldo is not the dynamic subordinate helium erstwhile was and galore suggested his beingness hindered the squad alternatively than helped.

However, things came to a caput connected Sunday erstwhile Ronaldo was an unused substitute successful the Nations League triumph implicit Norway. The subordinate subsequently near campy aft uncovering retired helium would not commencement against Denmark successful November.

On Tuesday, Ronaldo released an almost-2,000 connection connection connected Instagram successful which helium said Jesus had doubly "broke his word" and accused him of an "absolute breach of trust" for firstly not playing him against Norway aft saying helium would, earlier going backmost connected a determination to contiguous an agreed mentation of events to the media.

Ronaldo apologised to fans and team-mates for leaving the campy and said the consequences of that indispensable beryllium "assessed and punished" portion besides dismissing immoderate proposition that helium had played his past lucifer for Portugal.

"We volition person 1 oregon much farewell matches, determination volition beryllium clip for that," the connection said.

Manager Jesus said connected Sunday the door remains unfastened for Ronaldo to return if helium chooses to, but galore are suggesting the harm is already done.

Portuguese shot writer Delgado told BBC Radio 5 Live: "I don't deliberation determination is simply a mode back. In the statement, Ronaldo says helium volition instrumentality to the nationalist squad but astatine the aforesaid clip helium calls Jesus a liar 3 times.

"In the polls successful Portugal made astir this issue, lone 15% of the Portuguese were connected Ronaldo's broadside and radical deliberation we beryllium him a batch but his clip is already done and helium indispensable recognize it.

"The occupation is that Ronaldo does not recognize it, helium wants to support playing arsenic if helium was 24, not 41.

"Things volition ne'er beryllium the aforesaid again. No substance what happens, nary substance if helium plays again oregon if you person a crippled to accidental goodbye to Ronaldo things volition ne'er beryllium the same.

"What Ronaldo did for Portuguese shot is unsocial and unthinkable and we indispensable convey him for each the work helium gave to Portugal. But astatine 41, helium has nary spot successful the champion XI of Portugal."

Manager Jesus has reportedly said that helium had not seen Ronaldo's connection arsenic helium was watching the Portugal under-21 game.

Al-Nassr guardant Ronaldo has scored 146 goals successful 234 Portugal appearances - some satellite records - helping them triumph Euro 2016 and the Nations League twice.

It seems improbable that Ronaldo volition voluntarily discontinue from the nationalist squad earlier helium hits the elusive 1,000 extremity people helium is chasing for nine and state - helium presently has 979.

But person his actions made the concern untenable?

When it comes to fans, opinions look to beryllium split.

On respective billboards successful Lisbon posters person been enactment up praising Ronaldo and criticising Jesus.

They read, successful Portuguese: "Thank you Cristiano Ronaldo for everything you did for Portugal. You volition ever beryllium our captain.

"Jorge Jesus was not up to the task. Lack of sensitivity. Treating a skipper wrongly. Inflated ego."

At the Denmark game, immoderate fans wore T-shirts spelling retired 'Love you Jesus' portion others were head-to-toe successful Ronaldo merch.

In stark contrast, Messi brought the curtain down connected his illustrious Argentina career, wherever helium has won 1 World Cup and 2 Copa Americas, successful beforehand of an 85,000-strong sellout assemblage wrong the Monumental successful Buenos Aires.

The 39-year-old announced his status from planetary football successful August aft Argentina finished runners-up astatine the World Cup and pursuing the decease of his begetter Jorge.

Messi marked his last quality for La Albiceleste with a extremity earlier addressing the adoring fans successful a code lasting astir 10 minutes.

Some of his team-mates were successful tears arsenic Messi admitted helium did not privation to permission the field.

"There are truthful galore emotions going done maine close now," helium said. "I'm surely forgetting galore things I would similar to accidental due to the fact that this is simply a precise hard infinitesimal for me. The archetypal idiosyncratic who comes to my caput is my dad.

"I permission grateful, arrogant and astatine peace. Thank you for everything."

Messi departs arsenic the grounds appearance-maker and goal-scorer for Argentina but volition proceed his nine vocation with Major League Soccer squad Inter Miami.

It seems the eight-time Ballon d'Or victor wants to participate the satellite of shot nine ownership and is making moves to bash so.

He already owns 2 clubs - Spanish fifth-tier broadside UE Cornella and second-tier CD Eldense - arsenic good arsenic being a spouse successful the edifice concatenation El Club de la Milanesa, which plans to unfastened 5 branches successful Catalonia.

Messi besides has a beingness woody with Adidas and a postulation with drinkware marque Stanley arsenic good arsenic investing successful the spot and edifice industries.

Football adept Guillem Balague said: "Coach Lionel Scaloni insists that if Messi ever wants to transportation on, helium can, and determination is nary embarrassment successful changing one's mind. But that section seems closed.

"Ask the radical astir him what comes aft that and they smile, due to the fact that Messi has ne'er truly planned beyond his adjacent game.

"Even so, the signifier of what lies up is already successful beforehand of us. He volition enactment wrong football, due to the fact that helium would conflict to unrecorded without it, but his different concern interests agelong acold extracurricular the game."