Has GOAT debate been settled? Lionel Messi's latest Instagram post seems to suggest so | Watch
The post on Lionel Messi's Instagram handle comes just days after the Argentina forward announced his retirement from international football.
Lionel Messi posted a branded video on Instagram featuring a message that declares the “GOAT debate” settled, days after the Argentina captain announced his retirement from international football.
The post, published on Messi’s official Instagram account on Wednesday, is part of a Michelob ULTRA advertising campaign titled “Tab Closed.” The video uses a long bar receipt to present a summary of Messi’s career with Argentina, with his international achievements appearing on the printed ticket.
The advertisement begins with a bartender preparing to close out a bill. Instead of listing conventional food and drink orders, the receipt records milestones from Messi’s international career.
Among the figures included are his 207 appearances and 125 goals for Argentina, the records he finished with after announcing his retirement from the national team. The receipt also highlights his major international titles, including the Copa America 2021, the FIFA World Cup 2024 and the Copa America 2024.
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The advertisement also refers to Messi’s World Cup record. It lists 21 World Cup goals, 23 matches won and 99 chances created across his six appearances at football’s biggest tournament.
The receipt contains several other descriptions of Messi’s career and impact, including references to records being broken, expectations being redefined and the world being inspired. It also includes references to his famous goal against Mexico and the number of fans and opposing supporters who were moved to tears during his career.
‘GOAT debate: settled’
The final section of the receipt carries the line “GOAT debate: settled.” GOAT is an acronym for Greatest of All Time, a term commonly used in discussions about the greatest footballer in history.
Messi has often been compared with Portugal forward Cristiano Ronaldo. The rivalry became especially prominent during their time in La Liga, when Messi played for Barcelona, and Ronaldo represented Real Madrid. They also faced each other in the UEFA Champions League and in international football.
Messi and Ronaldo have faced each other 36 times for club and country. Messi’s teams have won 16 of those meetings, while Ronaldo’s teams have recorded 11 victories, with the remaining nine matches ending in draws. Messi has scored 22 goals in those games, compared with Ronaldo’s 21.
At the international level, Ronaldo has scored 146 goals for Portugal, while Messi finished his Argentina career with 125 goals. Ronaldo also has more international appearances, with 233 compared with Messi’s 207.
While Ronaldo has won more UEFA Champions League titles than Messi, one thing the Portugal star missed out on was winning the FIFA World Cup. The 39-year-old Argentine won the FIFA World Cup in 2022, whereas the former Manchester United star failed to do so in six editions that he has played in.
About the Author
PN Vishnu is a contributor with the LiveMint Sports team, where he primarily covers cricket, football and other major sporting events. A passionate sports journalist with nearly a decade of experience in digital media, Vishnu has been an ardent follower of sports for more than 10 years. While he enjoys covering a wide range of disciplines, his biggest sporting passions remain cricket and football. He is also a devoted supporter of Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the Indian Premier League and Manchester United in English football. <br><br> Vishnu pursued a Post Graduate Diploma in Journalism from the Asian College of Journalism (ACJ), Chennai, in 2016 and graduated in 2017. Since then, he has built an extensive career in sports journalism, working with leading media organisations including Deccan Chronicle and Firstpost. In 2025, he worked for CricXtasy for six months before joining LiveMint in February 2026. <br><br> Over the years, he has reported extensively on marquee sporting events such as the Indian Premier League (IPL) and the Indian Super League (ISL). His reporting has also provided opportunities to interact with some of the game's leading personalities, including India cricketers Yuzvendra Chahal and Dhruv Jurel. <br><br> Away from the newsroom, Vishnu enjoys unwinding with books, discovering new music and binge-watching television series.
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