Messi hits milestone, netting No 900 — quicker than rival Ronaldo did

FORT LAUDERDALE, Florida — Lionel Messi has reached another milestone, netting 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 bodies, actually getting it through the legs of Nashville defender Jeisson Palacios, past the left arm of diving goalkeeper Brian Schwake 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 star 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".

Johnson wrote: "What an unbelievable feat!"

There are some who have suggested Brazilian legend Pele topped 1,000 goals in his career, though his "official" total is closer to 800.

Different sources, counting different sets of games, list Pele's goal totals anywhere from around 650 in league matches to somewhere near 1,300 in all matches — some against low-level competition.

However, it was a night where Messi probably didn't feel like celebrating.

Nashville tied Inter Miami 1-1, advancing to the tournament quarterfinals on an away-goal tiebreaker, thanks to Cristian Espinoza's 74th minute leveler.

The teams played to a 0-0 tie in Nashville last week, the opening leg of the round-of-16 matchup.

Nashville coach BJ 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 FIFA Best Men's Player awards, three UEFA Men's Player of the Year titles, 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 United States, Canada and Mexico.

"The reality," Inter Miami coach Javier Mascherano said late last season, "is that Leo clears all doubts."

Messi is strongly expected to play in his sixth World Cup later this year, when Argentina defends its title in the expanded 48-team tournament.

The Argentine star has already extended his Inter Miami contract through the end of the 2028 season.

Messi's prolific goalscoring has been a hallmark of his career.

His 672 goals for Barcelona came in just 778 games — an average of 0.86 per game — helping the Catalan club win 35 trophies before his departure to Paris Saint-Germain in 2021.

In France, he scored 32 goals in 75 matches, winning three trophies including two league titles.

In Miami, his 81 goals have come in just 96 appearances, helping the team win the 2023 Leagues Cup and the 2025 MLS Cup.

His 115 international goals have come in 196 matches, including two in the 2022 World Cup final victory over France.