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Football legend Lionel Messi etched his name deeper into history by becoming only the second player ever to score 900 top-level career goals. The Argentine superstar reached the milestone during Inter Miami CF’s clash against Nashville SC on Wednesday.

 

Messi struck the landmark goal just seven minutes into the game at Geodis Park in Tennessee during the Concacaf Champions Cup last-16 second-leg encounter.

 

Since joining Inter Miami in June 2023, the 38-year-old has been in sensational form, scoring 81 goals in 92 appearances and guiding the club to titles including the Leagues Cup and MLS Cup.

 

Widely regarded as one of football’s greatest players, Messi has built an extraordinary career across clubs like FC Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain, as well as with the Argentina national football team. He has also won the prestigious Ballon d'Or a record eight times.

 

His journey began with Barcelona, where he became the club’s youngest-ever scorer at just 17 years, 10 months, and seven days. He netted his first goal in May 2005 against Albacete and went on to score 672 goals in 778 appearances over 17 years, winning 10 La Liga titles, seven Copa del Rey trophies, four UEFA Champions League titles, and multiple other honours.

 

After leaving Barcelona in 2021, Messi spent two seasons at Paris Saint-Germain, scoring 32 goals in 75 matches while forming a formidable attacking trio with Neymar Jr and Kylian Mbappé.

 

Following his PSG stint, Messi joined Inter Miami, a club co-owned by David Beckham. His move came shortly after leading Argentina to World Cup glory at the FIFA World Cup 2022 in Qatar.

 

On the international stage, Messi has made 196 appearances for Argentina, scoring 115 goals for the three-time world champions.

 

According to Opta statistics, the majority of Messi’s 900 goals—755—have come from his left foot, while 111 were scored with his right foot, 30 with headers, and four categorized as ‘other’. He has netted 724 goals from inside the box and 176 from outside, along with 112 penalties and 70 free-kicks.

 

His favorite opponents include Sevilla (25 goals), Athletic Club (24), Atletico Madrid (23), Valencia (18), Real Madrid (17), and Levante (16).

 

Messi now joins his long-time rival Cristiano Ronaldo in the exclusive 900-goal club. Ronaldo reached the milestone in 2024 while playing for Portugal against Croatia and has since extended his tally to 959 goals.

 

The two icons, who have dominated world football for over a decade, are the only players in men’s football history to achieve this remarkable feat.

 

Brazilian legends Pelé and Romário also boast incredible scoring records, though official tallies place them below the 900-goal mark.