Argentine international Lionel Messi, considered one of the greatest footballers in history with a record eight Ballon d’Or awards, reached the 900th goal of his career on Wednesday night.
The 38-year-old scored Inter Miami’s goal in a 1-1 draw with Nashville SC, but could not prevent his team’s elimination in the CONCACAF Champions Cup round of 16, following a goalless first leg.
Messi, who won the Ballon d’Or in 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2019, 2021 and 2023 — a tally only approached by Cristiano Ronaldo’s five (2008, 2013, 2014, 2016 and 2017) — scored the vast majority of his goals at FC Barcelona. For the Catalan club, which he represented from youth level and where he spent 17 seasons in the first team, Messi scored 672 goals, adding 81 for Inter Miami, 32 for Paris Saint-Germain and 115 for the Argentine national team.
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His first senior goal came at just 17 years of age, in a Barcelona victory over Albacete in 2005. Having extended his Inter Miami contract until 2028, Messi is expected to feature at the 2026 World Cup — to be held in Mexico, the United States and Canada — where Argentina present themselves as defending champions.
Portuguese international Cristiano Ronaldo, 41, who in recent years shared the global football spotlight with Messi, has 965 career goals and continues to chase the milestone of 1,000, with his career ongoing at Saudi side Al Nassr and the Portuguese national team.
