Ammon News - Lionel Messi scored his 900th career goal on Wednesday to become the second player to reach the mark in elite men's ​football after Cristiano Ronaldo.

The 38-year-old Argentine World Cup winner brought ‌up the milestone with a left-footed strike in Inter Miami's 1-1 draw with Nashville SC in the CONCACAF Champions Cup.

The 900th goal came 21 years after ​Messi scored his first in senior football for Barcelona as ​a 17-year-old in 2005.

Inter manager Javier Mascherano said Messi's tally ⁠was "insane".

"I've been lucky enough to see most, or many, of the ​goals he's scored, much closer than you all, and that's a privilege," ​he added.
"The number we're talking about is insane, and that's why Leo is a one of a kind."

Messi, who has won the Ballon d'Or eight times, reached ​the landmark in his 1,142nd appearance for club and country, nearly ​100 games fewer than Ronaldo, who took 1,236 games to reach the milestone in September ‌2024.

Portuguese ⁠forward Ronaldo has now reached 965 goals and has targeted the 1,000-mark before he quits the game.

The majority of Messi's goals came during his spell at Barcelona, where he scored 672 times. He added ​32 at Paris ​St-Germain and 81 ⁠for Inter Miami and scored 115 for Argentina, with whom he won the World Cup in 2022.

Messi's ​teammates have been able to depend on him at ​crucial times ⁠with 175 of his goals coming in knockout matches, including 35 in finals.

His 129 goals in Europe's Champions League is second only to Ronaldo's ⁠140.

Messi's ​milestone goal came on a bittersweet night ​for Miami, who exited the competition on away goals after the first leg of their ​tie ended 0-0.

Reuters