Real Madrid manager, José Mourinho has hailed Lionel Messi as one of the greatest players of his generation following the Argentine’s retirement from international football. Messi, 39, announced his decision to step away from the Argentina national team, bringing an end to a career that spanned more than two decades and included a long list of individual and team honours.

Mourinho, who returned to the Santiago Bernabéu earlier this year for a second spell in charge of Real Madrid, took to social media to congratulate Messi on what he described as a brilliant and unforgettable international career, adding that upcoming major tournaments would not be the same without him.

The tribute carries particular weight given the history between the two men, whose rivalry was forged during Mourinho’s first stint at Real Madrid between 2010 and 2013, a period defined by fierce Clasico battles against Messi’s Barcelona.

Despite the intensity of those clashes, Mourinho has previously acknowledged Messi as one of the opponents who challenged him most as a tactician, and his latest message reflects a mutual respect that has endured beyond their years of rivalry. He joins a long list of football figures who have paid tribute to Messi since the announcement, including David Beckham, who described the Argentine’s legacy as one that will live forever.

Messi leaves the international stage with 207 caps and 125 goals for Argentina, a career that brought the 2022 World Cup, two Copa America titles, and eight Ballon d’Or awards. His final appearance for his country came in this year’s World Cup final, where Argentina lost to Spain, ending the forward’s bid for a second world title. In a statement announcing his decision, Messi said the choice had been a painful one but that he was leaving with pride, having given everything for the shirt across more than twenty years of service to his country.

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