Lionel Messi in Miami reaches his 900th career goal

Lionel Messi Reaches 900 Career Goals

Lionel Messi has yet again marked a significant achievement in his stellar career. On Wednesday night, during the second leg of Inter Miami’s CONCACAF Champions Cup Round of 16 against Nashville SC, he scored his 900th goal for both club and country.

This places him alongside rival Cristiano Ronaldo, as they are the only male players to hit this milestone in soccer history.

The moment came just seven minutes into the match when Sergio Reguilon delivered a cross to Messi. With a few deft dribbles, he sent the ball through Nashville defender Jason Palacios’s legs and past goalkeeper Brian Schwake.

The goal ignited celebrations at Inter Miami CF Stadium, giving the team a 1-0 advantage. Messi, often referred to as the greatest of all time, took 1,142 matches to reach this impressive tally—94 games fewer than Ronaldo, who achieved the same milestone in September 2024.

As of now, Ronaldo leads with 965 goals and is vying for 1,000 before he retires. Notably, the legendary Pele netted 765 goals in his remarkable career, placing him third.

“I don’t think we can truly grasp how monumental this is. It’s just wild thinking about him scoring 900 goals, which is astonishing for such a unique talent,” said Inter Miami coach Javier Mascherano. “I often find myself saying the same thing: while Leo’s numbers are impressive, what matters more is how he contributes to the game itself, beyond just scoring.”

Messi made his professional debut back in October 2004, having scored 785 goals across his club spells with Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain, and Inter Miami.

He has also tallied 115 goals for Argentina. This historic goal came possibly in what might be the last event at Inter Miami CF Stadium before the team relocates to its new venue, New Stadium at Miami Freedom Park, slated to open on April 4th.