SOCCER: Messi scores 900th career goal, joins Ronaldo in elite club

Lionel Messi reached a remarkable milestone on Wednesday, scoring his 900th career goal to become only the second player in elite men’s football history to achieve the mark, following Cristiano Ronaldo.

The 38-year-old Argentine World Cup winner struck with his left foot in Inter Miami’s 1-1 draw against Nashville SC in the CONCACAF Champions Cup, marking 21 years since his first senior goal for Barcelona in 2005, when he was just 17.

Inter Miami manager Javier Mascherano called Messi’s achievement “insane.”

“I’ve been lucky enough to see most, or many, of the goals he’s scored, much closer than you all, and that’s a privilege,” Mascherano said. “The number we’re talking about is insane, and that’s why Leo is one of a kind.”

Messi, an eight-time Ballon d’Or winner, reached the milestone in his 1,142nd appearance for club and country—almost 100 games fewer than Ronaldo, who reached 900 goals in 1,236 matches in September 2024. Ronaldo has since increased his tally to 965 goals and is aiming for the 1,000-goal mark before retiring.

The majority of Messi’s goals came during his legendary spell at Barcelona, where he scored 672 times. He added 32 goals at Paris Saint-Germain and 81 for Inter Miami, along with 115 for Argentina, with whom he won the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

Known for delivering in crucial moments, Messi has scored 175 goals in knockout matches, including 35 in finals. His 129 goals in Europe’s Champions League rank second only to Ronaldo’s 140.

Messi’s milestone goal came on a bittersweet night for Miami, who were eliminated from the competition on away goals after a 0-0 draw in the first leg of their tie. -Reporting by Suramya Kaushik in Bengaluru; Editing by Peter Rutherford/Reuters