FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — Lionel Messi has reached another milestone, getting his 900th career goal in the opening minutes of Inter Miami’s CONCACAF Champions Cup Round of 16 match against Nashville on Wednesday night.
The back-to-back Major League Soccer MVP, eight-time Ballon d’Or winner and World Cup champion got it as would be expected — with his left foot, like the majority of his career goals for club and country. He took a pass in the middle of the box in the seventh minute, controlled the ball, spun and lined a low shot through a maze of defenders and into the far corner of the net.
Cristiano Ronaldo is the only other men’s player with more than 900 goals — at least, by official counts. It took Ronaldo about 100 more matches to get to the milestone than Messi needed; Ronaldo was 39 when he got to 900 goals in September 2024, while Messi doesn’t turn 39 until June.
The historic goal drew the attention of stars names from even outside the soccer world. Basketball Hall of Famer Magic Johnson posted on social media that Messi reaching 900 goals is an “incredible milestone.”
“What an unbelievable feat!” Johnson wrote.
There are some who have suggested Brazilian legend Pelé topped 1,000 goals for his career, though his “official” total is closer to 800. Different sources, counting different sets of games, list Pelé’s goal totals anywhere from around 650 in league matches to somewhere near 1,300 in all matches — some against low-level competition.
It was a night where Messi surely didn’t feel like celebrating. Nashville tied Inter Miami 1-1, advancing to the tournament quarterfinals on an away-goal tiebreaker. The teams played to a 0-0 tie in Nashville last week, the opening leg of the Round of 16 matchup.
Nashville coach B.J. Callaghan paid tribute after the game, saying, “900 goals, congratulations to him. He’s the best.”
Messi remains the game’s most popular and most-followed player. His No. 10 Inter Miami jersey has been the bestseller in the league since he arrived in MLS, and everything he does becomes major news in all corners of the soccer world.
This milestone joins countless other awards and accomplishments over Messi’s career, including eight Pichichi trophies as La Liga’s top scorer, six La Liga best player nods, three Best FIFA Men’s Player awards, three UEFA Men’s Player of the Year wins, two FIFA World Cup Golden Balls and no fewer than 15 selections as Argentina’s best player in a given year.
Messi has also been part of winning 47 trophies for club and country — including the 2022 World Cup for Argentina and last season’s MLS title with Inter Miami — making him the most decorated player the men’s game has ever seen. He is likely to play again for Argentina this summer when the World Cup is held in the U.S., Canada and Mexico.
“The reality,” Inter Miami coach Javier Mascherano said late last season, “is that Leo clears all doubts.”
More than half of Messi’s goals came with Barcelona, the place he played for nearly two decades. He joined Inter Miami in 2023, was under contract through the end of last season originally and now has a new deal stretching into 2028.
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