What was the world like before Messi and Ronaldo's era in international football?

Messi and Ronaldo have both retired from international football, ending an era that began in 2003–2005. This international break marks the first time since their debuts that neither plays for their country.

Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo have officially ended their international careers. For the first time since their debuts, Argentina and Portugal are both without them in the current international window. The last time neither was called up was November 2018, but that was a temporary absence; both returned. To find a period when neither had yet played for their senior national team, you must go back to summer 2003.

Ronaldo made his Portugal debut on 20 August 2003 in a friendly against Kazakhstan, just eight days after joining Manchester United from Sporting Lisbon for €17.5 million. Messi debuted for Argentina on 17 August 2005 against Hungary.

The article reflects on the football world as it stood before their era began: Milan had just won the 2003 Champions League final against Juventus, Ronaldinho had arrived at Barcelona, Beckham was joining Real Madrid's Galácticos, and Mourinho's Porto had just won the UEFA Cup.