Lionel Messi is on the verge of reaching an impressive milestone in his illustrious career, surpassing his eternal rival Cristiano Ronaldo in a way that promises to make history. Following a bitter defeat in Inter Miami’s attempt to retain the MLS title, where Messi was visibly frustrated with the referee, the Argentine star shone brightly once again in an exhilarating Florida derby.
In the match against Orlando City, the situation began to look disastrous for Inter Miami, which found itself two goals down within the first thirty minutes. However, Messi, at 38 years old, not only rejuvenated the team but also led an impressive comeback, sealing a 4-2 victory. He scored two crucial goals, the first equalizing the score before half-time and the second, a spectacular free-kick, securing the three points in the dying minutes. With these two goals, Messi raised his career total to 898 goals, combining achievements at both club and international levels. The anticipation now shifts to the next game, where he could easily reach the 900-goal mark against D.C. United.
If Messi accomplishes this feat, he will become only the fifth player in history to officially reach 900 goals. The other names in this select group include wartime icon Ronnie Rooke, Czech legend Josef Bican, the lesser-known German Erwin Helmchen, and of course, Cristiano Ronaldo himself. It is worth noting that Ronaldo reached his 900th goal in September 2024, during a Nations League match between Portugal and Croatia.
Ronaldo, a five-time Ballon d’Or winner, does not hide his desire to reach 1,000 goals before hanging up his boots. With 965 goals so far, he needs just 35 more to achieve that dream. “It’s difficult to keep playing, but I’m motivated,” Ronaldo said after receiving the award for Best Player in the Middle East at the Globe Soccer Awards in Dubai. “My passion is high and I want to continue. It doesn’t matter where I play, in Saudi Arabia or Europe, I always enjoy football and want to keep going. You know what my goal is. I want to win trophies and reach that number (1,000 goals) that everyone knows. I will achieve it, without a doubt, as long as I don’t have injuries.”
On the other hand, Messi approaches the remaining years of his career with a different perspective. “I don’t like to rush time or look to the future,” the Argentine commented after his transfer to Inter Miami. “I try to enjoy each day. I hope to continue playing at this level to feel good and happy. When I can do what I love, I’m happy. I value that more than reaching the 2026 tournament [World Cup]. I haven’t set a goal to reach the World Cup, but rather to live day by day and be well.”
But how do Messi’s 900 goals compare to Ronaldo’s statistics? Messi, who has scored 898 goals in 1,139 matches, is set to reach the milestone in about 96 games fewer than Ronaldo, who needed 1,236 matches to reach 900 goals. Messi is one year younger than Ronaldo was when he scored his 900th goal, raising the possibility that he could also one day join Ronaldo in the 1,000 club, or even surpass his total before retiring.
With Messi recently renewing his contract with Inter Miami until 2028, there is an expectation that he could easily score another hundred goals, further solidifying his legacy and intensifying the epic rivalry with Ronaldo. With each game, Messi not only inches closer to a historic achievement but also keeps alive the flame of competition that has captivated football fans around the world.
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