Brazilian superstar Neymar Jr. has led global tributes to Cristiano Ronaldo following the 41-year-old’s decision to retire from international football, ending a 22-year career with the Portugal national team.

Responding to Ronaldo’s announcement on social media, the former Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain forward posted a simple, single-word message that captured the global sentiment: "Lenda" Portuguese for Legend.

Despite years of fierce pitch battles during El Clásico clashes between Real Madrid and Barcelona, the two icons have maintained a long-standing mutual respect.

Ronaldo leaves the international stage as Portugal’s undisputed all-time leading scorer and most-capped player. Across 234 appearances for his country, the veteran forward bagged 146 goals while relinquishing his iconic number seven shirt.

His international resume includes three major international trophies, headlined by captaining Portugal to their landmark European Championship title in 2016, alongside UEFA Nations League triumphs in 2019 and 2025.

Neymar’s message carries added weight given his own departure from international duty following the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

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