"He should retire", "Holding them back" - Cristiano Ronaldo fans call out Lionel Messi as Argentina draw against Colombia
Lionel Messi has come under scrutiny from rival Cristiano Ronaldo's fans following Argentina's 1-1 draw with Colombia in the CONMEBOL World Cup qualifier on Tuesday (June 10). The 37-year-old returned to the starting XI for the first time since November, as La Albiceleste hosted the match in Buenos Aires.
Argentina have already secured their spot in the 2026 FIFA World Cup. On Tuesday, they enjoyed possession from the off, and it was Lionel Messi who registered the first shot of the game just four minutes in, though it was off target.
Colombia, however, struck first. In the 24th minute, Luis Diaz received a pass from Kevin Castano inside their opponents' half. The 28-year-old marauded down the left wing, dribbling past four Argentina players, before slotting the ball past goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez.
The reigning World Cup champions came into the second half with more intent, but they could score only after Lionel Messi was substituted in the 78th minute for Exequiel Palacios. Just three minutes later, Palacios assisted Thiago Almada, who scored to bring Argentina back on level terms.
While Messi didn’t register a goal or assist, he had a solid performance on the night, creating a chance, completing seven out of 10 dribbles, and winning 12 out of 17 duels. As per Sofascore, he was Argentina’s highest-rated player at 8.2. However, the timing of the equalizer, which came shortly after his substitution, sparked debates among rival supporters.
Cristiano Ronaldo's fans were particularly vocal on social media. A staunch fan of the five-time Ballon d’Or winner pointed out that Argentina equalized only after Messi was substituted.
Another fan tweeted:
“He should retire at this point.”
Another suggested Messi should retire from international football.
“He should retire internationally,” they wrote.
“Messi is holding them back. He should retire 😭😭😭,” another fan opined.
“Leave the football before the football leaves you,” another chimed in.
Argentina manager Lionel Scaloni reveals why he substituted Lionel Messi against Colombia
Lionel Scaloni’s decision to take Lionel Messi off in the 78th minute of the World Cup qualifying match against Colombia raised concern among fans. After the match, Scaloni cleared the air, saying that Messi requested to be substituted.
He said (via GOAL):
"Leo wasn't going to come off, but he ended up coming off near the end. He (Messi) told me it was better for him to come off, and so we decided to change him. The good thing we always showed, with 10 men and without Messi, is that we kept looking, not giving up on a ball. That makes us very satisfied."
Despite the draw on Tuesday, La Albiceleste lead the CONMEBOL qualification standings with 35 points from 16 matches. They will next be in action against Venezuela and Ecuador in September for the qualifiers.
