Football’s biggest era appears to be drawing to a close, as Argentina and Portugal both suffered defeats in their first international matches following the retirements of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.
Argentina lost 2–1 to Uruguay on Friday, November 13, 2026, at La Bombonera in Buenos Aires, marking their first match since Messi’s international retirement.
Uruguay took the lead in the 48th minute through an own goal by Argentina defender Leonardo Balerdi. Maximiliano Araújo doubled the advantage five minutes later, before Julián Álvarez pulled one back for Argentina in the 73rd minute. However, the hosts could not find an equaliser.
Portugal, meanwhile, suffered a heavier defeat, losing 4–1 to Denmark on Saturday, November 14, 2026, at the Estádio Municipal de Braga.
Pierre-Emile Højbjerg opened the scoring from the penalty spot in the 43rd minute before Rasmus Højlund struck twice in the 50th and 57th minutes. Joachim Andersen added Denmark’s fourth in the 75th minute, while Bernardo Silva scored a late consolation goal for Portugal in the 90th minute of stoppage time.
The defeat marked Portugal’s first international outing since Ronaldo announced his retirement from the national team on November 5, 2026.
The back-to-back defeats have drawn attention to the challenge facing both national teams as they begin life without two players who defined an extraordinary generation of international football.
Messi and Ronaldo spent more than two decades rewriting football records, winning major honours and carrying the expectations of millions of supporters.
While Argentina and Portugal still have talented players capable of shaping their futures, their first results without the two superstars have provided a striking opening to a new chapter.
For two countries whose football identities have been closely associated with Messi and Ronaldo, the post-legends era has begun on a disappointing note.
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