Lionel Messi scored his 900th career goal during Inter Miami's Concacaf Champions Cup match Wednesday against fellow MLS side Nashville SC.
The Argentinean star found the back of the net in the seventh minute, sneaking the ball past multiple defenders off a feed from Sergio Reguilón.
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Messi's career goal total includes his time with Barcelona (672), Paris Saint-Germain (32), Inter Miami (81) and the Argentina national team (115).
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"Clearly, we don't fully grasp the magnitude of it; talking about him scoring 900 goals is insane, incredible for such a unique player," said Inter Miami manager and Messi's former teammate Javier Mascherano this week,via the Miami Herald. "The truth is, I always end up saying the same thing: Leo's numbers are amazing, but above all, statistics are the least important aspect.
"You can score a lot of goals, the key is how you do it, and he's managed not only to reach incredible numbers in terms of goals and assists, but also because of what he contributes to the game itself, which I believe is much more important than his stats."
His first goal came May 1, 2005 during a 2-0 win over Albacete. The nearly 18-year-old forward entered the match in the 88th minute and didn't need long to make an impact. He scored not long after coming on, but the goal was taken back for offside. Moments later, he took a flick pass from Ronaldhino and lobbed goalkeeper Raúl Valbuena.
Over 15 seasons with Barça, Messi won 10 La Liga titles, seven Ballon d'Ors, six FIFA World Player of the Year awards, four Champions Leagues, and three Club World Cups, among numerous team and individual honors. He left the Spanish giants in 2021 to join PSG where he spent two seasons before coming to MLS and signing with Inter Miami.
Could Messi reach 1,000 goals?
Messi's contract withInter Miami runs through the end of the 2028 MLS seasonwhen he will be 41 years old. He has averaged 36 goals over a season for Inter Miami and Argentina since 2023, so 1,000 isn't too much of a long shot. But injuries and load management have limited the soccer superstar over the past three seasons, something that will continue to be a concern for the duration of his current deal.
Cristiano Ronaldo, Messi's contemporary, has a much better chance to reach 1,000 goals. Currently sitting on 965, the Portuguese star is 41, but has netted over 30 goals in the Saudi Pro League with Al-Nassr in each of the past two seasons and is on pace to do so again in 2025-26. He has said thatthe 2026 World Cup will be his last, meaning his international career will likely end this summer.
