In a historic moment, Lionel Messi has surpassed his longtime rival Cristiano Ronaldo’s record for most career goals. The Barcelona legend reached 850 official goals, eclipsing Ronaldo’s previous mark in less matches played.
However, Messi’s individual achievement was not enough to prevent his team, Inter Miami, from being eliminated from the 2024 MLS Cup playoffs. The Argentine superstar scored a goal against Atlanta United, but Inter Miami fell 2-3 in the third round of the postseason.
To be honest, I have myself to blame: in life, in certain things, in football, on a personal level, I now live in the moment, and I think that’s the most important thing,” Ronaldo recently stated, acknowledging Messi’s accomplishment.
While Ronaldo still holds the overall record (908), Messi reached his milestone in 1,081 matches, compared to Ronaldo’s 1,179. Messi also boasts more individual accolades, with eight Ballon d’Or titles and eight FIFA World’s Best Player awards, compared to Ronaldo’s five each.
In their head-to-head record, Messi has 15 wins, nine draws, and 10 defeats against Ronaldo in competitive club matches. The two superstars have not faced each other in recent years, as they have both moved away from European football.
Despite Messi’s historic achievement, his focus remains on helping Inter Miami achieve success in the MLS. The team’s elimination from the playoffs this season will only fuel Messi’s determination to lead the club to greater heights in the future.
