Fakayejo Paul
Lionel Messi has officially joined the most exclusive goal-scoring club in football history.
On Wednesday, March 18, 2026, the 38-year-old Argentine icon scored the 900th goal of his professional career, becoming only the second male player to ever reach that milestone alongside Cristiano Ronaldo.
The historic moment came just seven minutes into Inter Miami’s CONCACAF Champions Cup Round of 16 second-leg clash against Nashville SC.
Messi took a pass in the middle of the box, spun past a defender, and slotted a clinical low finish into the far corner.
While the goal sparked wild celebrations at Chase Stadium, the night ended on a bittersweet note as Nashville fought back to draw -1, knocking Inter Miami out of the competition on the away goals rule.
Messi’s journey to 900 goals has been a masterclass in consistency and brilliance over 21 years. His tally is distributed across his legendary career as follows:
- FC Barcelona: 672 goals
- Argentina: 115 goals
- Inter Miami: 81 goals
- Paris Saint-Germain: 32 goals
Remarkably, Messi reached this landmark in 1,142 matches—hitting the 900-goal mark 94 games faster than Ronaldo, who took 1,236 games to achieve the same feat.
Inter Miami manager Javier Mascherano, a longtime teammate and friend, summed up the achievement perfectly after the match, calling the number “insane” and a testament to Messi being “one of a kind.”
Despite the team’s exit from the Champions Cup, Messi continues to redefine the limits of the sport as he approaches the final years of his career.